Love and War
by Vamps-with-Wings
Summary: Max saved the world. Fang thinks it's his duty to keep it that way. Enlisting in the army will make or break them, but only time will tell in the dangerous game of love and war.
1. Chapter One

**Authors Note: I love starting new stories almost as much as I love finishing them. So here it is! I'm not sure there's anything I have to tell you . . . so I guess you can read on, and I hope you enjoy! If you have any questions afterwards feel free to PM or leave them in a review. Whatever you'd like.**

**And I shouldn't really have to leave a disclaimer, considering it's pretty obvious I DON'T own Maximum Ride, no matter how much I wish I did.**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter One**

Twilight was long past, and with it the twinkling stars seemed to diminish into the fading blue. The moon filtered out next to no light, the swollen clouds covering most of its shine. The air was thick with charged electricity, standing on end to strike the unsuspecting. Deep rumbles stirred from the depths of the sky, growling from their hidden chambers in the maw of night. The scent of rain was heavy, swirling in the inky blackness; a tangible, tantalizing sensation of foreboding right before the storm.

Thunder clashed in the distance, a jagged spiral of lightning piercing the atmosphere in retaliation, opening a thin crevice in the universe. They were at war with each other, battling for dominance of both their terrain. Soon their pace quickened, as they traveled across the vast sea of midnight. The clouds ripped open, unable to bear their weight any longer. The heavens wept their tears of sorrow, raindrops falling towards the earth.

The droplets caressed all that they touched, bringing promise of peace. Even so, they ravaged all where they landed, just as easily as they soothed. They fell in sheets of such enormous force they blocked all vision, creating a wall of silver-gray, in their haste to avoid the war above them.

Time passes. Slowly but surely the rain lets up, trickling downwards as each and every drop is squeezed from its womb. The battle that seemed so terrifying and never-ending before has moved on, leaving an aching silence in its wake.

It is then that we have time to recollect ourselves and move on with life, our memories already fading of what had transpired. The wind kicks up a soft breeze, blowing across the destruction; a gentle prodding that stirs us into action.

What we don't know is that we are, in fact, tiny in comparison to all around us. Nature has a way of bringing as much relief as it does death. Before the storm, though . . . Before the storm is my favorite time.

It arouses an adrenaline rush within me that is usually dormant now that my life isn't consumed with running for my survival on a daily basis. It no longer includes kicking Eraser butt, or defying power-hungry, crazed, psycho scientist's with the ability to massacre and end the world as we know it with my snarky comebacks and sarcastic wit.

Sometimes I miss those days to the point where the longing is unbearable. Maximum Ride wasn't made for the cushy life. I was too paranoid from years of traitors and killers on my tail, intent on the demise of mine and my family's. I had trust issues, and a serious problem with proper hygienic practices.

But you can't run from something that's not chasing you.

I won't deny that I'm happy. I am. There's something about having access to a shower, a bed and a warm breakfast in the morning that wasn't roasted on a stick that truly enlightens ones soul. Most of my days are filled with thoughts that I wouldn't trade the life I'm living now for anything.

Maybe I'm just conflicted. I should stop. It just leads to arguments in your own mind, your opposition being yourself. Somehow, I don't think that's very healthy, especially when you lose.

"I found her!" an exasperated voice called. I glanced down from my perch on the roof, smiling at the figure standing in the grass, their hands cupped around their eyes to see better.

"I didn't realize I was missing," I responded loftily, pushing myself to my feet. I shook my wings out, tiny droplets of water sliding off of them.

"What the heck are you doing up there?" they screeched. "Do you have an insane wish to be struck by lightening?"

I laughed, tossing my head back. Without answering I jumped into the cool night air, flapping lazily until I touched down on the slick grass. I was soaked to the bone, every inch of me moist from the rain. For the most part I didn't notice, until an icy wind slithered towards me, sending my teeth chattering. I hugged my arms to my chest, fighting off the cold as I faced the glowering Nudge.

"Or maybe it was dying of hypothermia you had in mind."

Even at fifteen Nudge hadn't changed much. Her hair was still unruly, a mass of curls impossible to tame. She still blabbed like air was unnecessary to her survival. Only now she was ten times more interested in boys and fashion, which was only a bigger headache for me.

"You'd be the first to know," I said sarcastically, patting her head. She shook off my hand, though I could see the small grin light up her face. It was then that I knew she had been genuinely worried. For what reasons, however, I didn't know.

"Just go inside before you start to turn blue. I don't feel quite up to playing nurse for you. You're not the best patient. You complain a heck of a lot, and you get really mean and cranky. Remember when you got food poisoning that time Gazzy tried to play a prank on Fang and you accidentally picked his bowl? Yeah, that sucked. You screamed at him for days, and glared at anyone who tried to help you."

I suppressed a groan, simply turning away as she jabbered on behind me, not yet noticing I had left. Sometimes too much Nudge-talk was _too much_.

I pushed the back door open, kicking my sodden shoes to the side. My worn sneakers looked pitiful amongst the mountain of other shoes the flock left lying in a heap, the laces limp and frayed and the edges scuffed. I really needed a new pair.

I passed the living room as I trudged towards the stairs, my bare feet chilled to blocks of ice against the cold hardwood. My pants dripped, making my feet squelch as I walked. I peeked in briefly, seeing Angel and Gazzy seated on the couch, their blond curls shining in the soft, muted glow of the television. They both looked over, giving me smiles. I returned the gesture before moving on.

I had just placed my hand on the banister when there was a thump, followed by Iggy thundering down the stairs in that annoying way of his. He did it on purpose, because he knew it got on my nerves.

"Iggy," I said in a warning tone, letting him know I wasn't up for his nonsense.

"And the lady of the house returns," he said mockingly, stopping at my side. He turned his eerie, cloudy blue eyes on me with a scary precision. It just wasn't something you could get completely used to.

"I never left. I was on the roof." 

"This whole time? You did realize it started raining, didn't you?" he demanded, gazing at me like I was stupid or something.

"No Iggy, I didn't. I suddenly came to notice that I was immune to any feeling what so ever," I replied, rolling my eyes even though he couldn't see the action.

"That sucks," he said so seriously I paused, almost thinking he had believed me. Then he cracked an impish smile that set the record straight crystal clear. I punched his shoulder, making him stumble back.

"Go make some hot chocolate. I'm going to need it," I ordered. "Do something useful for once."

"Ouch, that stung," he said, mock wincing. "I thought my culinary skills had melted that stone-cold heart of yours, but I guess I was wrong. Nothing could fix that black vortex."

He jumped the few remaining steps, fleeing down the hall before I could hit him again. I ground my teeth together, picking up the familiar mantra in my head. _You will not kill Iggy, you will not kill Iggy, you will not kill Iggy,_ and so on. I had a similar one for the Gasman, as you can imagine. You'd think Iggy being eighteen would have matured him some, but apparently that was too much to ask.

I shook my head, pushing the incident to the back of my mind. At the end of the day, Iggy would be Iggy, and there was nothing I could do about that. I ascended the stairs at a sluggish pace, my body temperature still low. It felt like my muscles had locked into place, making it hard to move. Eventually I reached the top, though, turning right to access my bedroom.

I meandered through the disarray. Clothes were tossed in growing piles around the perimeter, and barren dishes took refuge on any available surface. The blinds were drawn tight, allowing no illmuination through, leaving the room dim. I flicked the light switch, watching as the shadows slunk back to their hiding places.

I kicked a passage through the wild tundra of my bedroom floor, twisting the knob of the bathroom door. The relief that came with the soft carpet was soon replaced with the pricking of cold tile. I found it gave me cause to move quickly, closing the distance between me and my refuge.

The cool marble of the clawfoot bathtub was barely noticeable under my numb fingers. I fumbled with the tap, breathing a sigh of relief as the water rushed forth, the sound of its approach deafening in the silence.

I rid myself of my sodden bearings, stripping down as the layers of rain-soaked clothing dropped away from me. The pressure encompassing me disappeared, leaving me feeling weightless and airy. I pushed them into a limp pile in the corner, rivulets of water already beginning to cascade from their pores. Then slowly, and with great care not to slip, I lowered my body into the steaming pool beside me.

There was no immediate relief. All the other parts of my body began to tingle though, after some time passed. Feeling returned to the water-logged, frozen limbs. A sigh of relief escaped between my chilled lips, still slightly tinged blue. Taking a big breath I submerged myself fully, letting the warmth rush all around me.

When I came up spluttering I was like an entirely new person.

I stomped my foot around until I felt the pressure of the drain give way, the water being sucked back to wherever it had come from. I stood, dripping, and stepped onto the thin cloth rug. Without looking I groped around until my fingers came in contact with the light, fluffy towel I knew was hanging on the rack. I wrapped myself in it, letting my tangled hair fall down my back.

Once I had dried myself off I dressed quickly, feeling the chill returning at my nakedness. I pulled a comb through my unwilling hair painstakingly, reminding myself that at least I didn't have Nudge's head. When I was finished I lifted the blinds, letting light filter in from the now starry sky outside. I stood, just staring out into the night, letting my mind wander for a few minutes.

Maybe the flock and I would go and see Mom and Ella tomorrow. They would like that. Plus, I could really go for some of Mom's chocolate chip cookies right about now, though Iggy's had become a close second.

Inevitably this turned my mind to the one thing it never strayed from for long . . . Fang. I wonder where he had gone off to. He disappeared as often as I did, but nobody really noticed when he was gone. Not that I was more important, or that they cared more or less about him. His presence, or loss there of, just wasn't as commanding as mine. He slipped so silently to and from places, it was hard to keep track of him.

It seemed to be just as I was thinking this that my bedroom door creaked open slowly. I didn't turn my head, knowing who it was. Everybody else had learned to knock by then, but he never did.

A few moments later strong arms wrapped around my waist, hugging me to a hard torso. I suppressed a smile, leaning into him. He laid a kiss on my damp hair, his smell washing all over me. He had such a distinctive scent, like the air after it rains. Before _and _after the storm.

"Where have you been?" I asked, tilting my head so I could see a flash of his black hair.

"I could ask you the same thing," Fang replied, his voice resounding deeply within him.

"Fair enough," I conceded, turning in his arms. I propped my hands on his shoulders, twirling a lock of his dark hair in my fingers. His obsidian eyes glowed in the stark lighting, giving them a new luster. I smiled up at him, and he smirked in return.

Some things never change.

**Authors Note: So obviously not a lot happens in this chapter. You're just given some insight on the flock's new life. Is it any good? Should I continue? Tell me in a REVIEW, please! (:**


	2. Chapter Two

**Authors Note: I apologize for any confusions with tense. I never used to have a problem with it, but nowadays I flip back and forth between past and present; most of the time not even noticing it happens. I try to stick with one, but I always screw up somehow.**

**Also thanks to those who reviewed last chapter, and who favorited and/or alerted the story. I appreciate it (:**

**Of course, last chapter I forgot to mention what book it took place after. I knew I was forgetting something! Anyway, it's after Max I guess. Nothing in Fang happened. Read on . . .**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Two**

I woke up to the sun filtering in through the window, its golden glow unmasking the new day; the terrors from the previous night forgotten. Its rays peeked over the horizon, before dawn fully awakened in a fiery display. I slowly crept out of bed, my feet sinking in the soft carpet as I padded across the floor.

The window slid open soundlessly, meeting no resistance due to constant use. I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply the smell of a new day. There was something about the still chilled, damp air in the morning that made me calm beyond anything else. A cool, gentle breeze blew past, flicking blond strands of my hair behind me.

With an effortless ease I hiked my leg over the window sill, the cotton of my pants sliding against the smooth wood. I pushed the pane up as high as it could go, making as much room for me as possible. Without pausing I slithered the rest of my body through the hole, crouching on the sill as I gathered my bearings. I had to duck to fit, my hair waving out in front of my face; obscuring my vision.

I tried my best to be quiet, unsure of whether or not any of the other flock members were awake yet. I didn't even spare my clock a glance initially getting up, but it was probably still fairly early, and these days the kids (It was impossible to refer to them as anything else, no matter how much they had grown) had gotten attached to their 'beauty' sleep.

Taking another shuddering breath of the frosty air I swung around, now facing the house. My hand fell flesh against the siding, scrambling for the eave of the roof. I stood precariously to do so, not afraid to fall. Push come to shove, I snap out my wings and fly up. Not much was a challenge these days though, so I usually tried to avoid such instances, because it made things more interesting.

I was just about to pull myself up, my feet only brushing against the window sill, when my door banged open, causing me to drop my hold. I made a startled squeak as my ribs cracked against the sill painfully, before I slid off and down. I scrabbled for some purchase, my fingers catching the pane at the last second. Painstakingly I wrenched myself up.

I glowered as Fang lifted me the rest of the way into the room, his arms strong and reassuring. I punched him in the shoulder once I was safely on solid ground, making him smirk in amusement.

"Would it kill you to knock?" I demanded in admonishment, unmitigated fury clear in my tone; resounding in my bruised rib as if in further proof.

"No, but it'd sure make my life dull, not being able to witness things such as this," he replied, his dark eyes dancing.

"It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't come barging in, as always," I muttered crossly, turning my glare on him once more. This only seemed to heighten his enjoyment, though.

"_Anyway_," he said emphatically, changing the subject, "breakfast is ready."

My stomach rumbled at the mention of food, letting loose a mortifying roar. Fang smirked even more, much to my distaste. My eyes narrowed impossibly further as I shoved past him, shouldering open the door as I went. I stalked down the staircase, my mood still sour. I could feel Fang following closely behind me, more a sixth sense than my ears picking up his footfalls. Fang still hadn't lost his talent for silence.

"Hi, Max!" Angel greeted me brightly, upon my entering the kitchen. She was seated on the counter, her long legs waving above the floor in a hello of their own. I smiled warmly at her, tugging her off her perch. She grinned sheepishly, slinking off to the table where Gazzy was seated, his hands behind his head.

"Good morning," I nodded to them all, putting a hand on Iggy's shoulder briefly as I passed, the soft cotton of his shirt rubbing against my fingers.

"Are you feeling better?" Iggy asked, motioning to the cup of tea he had prepared. I took it gratefully, breathing in deeply the aroma of spices as the steam wafted across me. I took a careful sip, swallowing quickly as the scalding liquid burned my tongue, before answering.

"Much better."

He nodded slightly, before returning to his work at the stove. Bacon sizzled and popped in one pan, while another was filled to the brim with scrambled eggs. A lone box of pancake batter was sitting to the side, for later use.

"Where's Nudge?" I inquired as I sat down beside Fang. I looked expectantly at Angel, seeing as they were roommates.

"Still sleeping. She was up all night texting some boy," Angel replied crossly, her nose wrinkling. I could imagine how pleasant Nudge's thoughts were by her reaction. I hid a small smile with my mug, slurping at the drink to cover the laughter bubbling in my throat.

"She's fifteen, what do you expect?" Gazzy piped up from where he was lounging across from me, as if he -himself only twelve- would know. His hands fell to the table as he sat forward, grasping at his fork in eager anticipation. I glanced over my shoulder to see Iggy balancing a tray piled high with eggs, advancing towards us. I leaped up, dancing out of his way. I grasped a few glasses from a cupboard, snagging the orange juice out of the refrigerator. When I made it back to my place everybody was already seated, dishing food onto their plates.

"Leave some," I ordered, smacking Iggy across his head, making his strawberry blond hair muss slightly.

"Ow," he muttered sullenly, but retracted his fork from the mash of eggs.

Eventually Nudge stumbled in, wiping her eyes as if the action would rid her of her last dregs of slumber. Sleepily she meandered towards the table, her fingers spread at her sides, like she anticipated herself to fall at any moment. Soft sighs emanated from her every second or so as she sat delicately in her seat. It seemed she was completely oblivious to our burning stares, going about her business as usual. A few mouthfuls and a gulp of orange juice later though, she finally looked up; her brown doe eyes wide and innocent.

"What?" she asked calmly, like our looks didn't bother her in the slightest. "Do I have something on my face?"

There were a few mumbled replies, before everybody turned away. Angel struck up a conversation with Gazzy, Nudge piping in every once in a while. Iggy shoveled the last bit of his food away, before jumping from his seat and exiting the room. I ate silently, flicking glances at Fang every once in awhile. He seemed content to just sit and watch though, his dark eyes hooded and blank.

Quietly I finished my meal, feeling the hefty, hollow silence between Fang and I. He had his moments, like this morning and last night, when he would seem almost normal. Then he'd go right back to his brooding, slipping silently through the day like a phantom of his usual self. I didn't understand it. Was I doing something wrong? He didn't necessarily seem unhappy, but he spent so much time vanishing to secretive places, that I had to wonder what was really going on.

My throat thickened as I glanced back over my shoulder, feeling like a stranger to my own family. A burst of hysteria resounded through the three youngest, as Gazzy said something profoundly amusing. I even saw a flash of a smirk when Fang leaned back in his chair. Iggy appeared once more in the doorway, shooting me a nervous look before he hurriedly whispered something in the Gasman's ear.

"Everybody be ready to leave around two. We're all going to Mom's today," I announced, deciding it was best if I just ignored Iggy and Gazzy's heinous behavior. With age, they became harder to handle. I slammed my iron fist down just as much as I turned the other way these days.

My words were met with varying degrees of enthusiasm, and I managed a small smile before I slipped out into the hallway. Fang's heated gaze stayed glued my back, as he silently followed, soundlessly gliding over the gleaming, polished hardwood.

Once we were out of hearing range I turned, one eyebrow raised in question. He stopped immediately in front of me, showing no surprise at my abrupt halt. Instead he fit his hands into his front pockets easily, his dark hair falling into his eyes as he stared down at me. There was an unspoken inquiry on his lips, and it only took someone who knew him well enough -namely me- to figure out what it was exactly.

"I'm fine," I answered automatically, as if I was a robot, programmed with only one phrase. The monotone in which I spoke seemed to disgruntle him further, his brow furrowing the tiniest bit, tweaking slightly.

"_I'm fine_," I insisted emphatically, putting extreme emphasis on my words. By the hard look he gave me I could tell he didn't believe me for a second. Sighing, I fought to keep my shoulders from dropping. Such an obvious sign of defeat was beyond me; _Maximum Ride_. It was harder now, to be as strong as I previously was. The comfortable life had softened all of us considerably. It wasn't something we could help, and impossible to deter. It just happened, and you'd never even notice. I sure didn't, or else I would have done everything in my power to stop it.

Domestication tamed us, something I previously thought inconceivable.

"Max-" Fang started cajolingly, and a sudden white-hot blossom of anger flared within me. Who was he to question me, when all of my conquests for information were turned down with vague responses and shrugs?

Not for the first time my mind was burdened with one thought and one thought only; _where did he always disappear to_? And maybe even more important than that; _why was he becoming so distant in short spurts and starts of normalcy_? I was having a hard time keeping up.

"Just don't," I stated morosely, a deadly sort of seriousness seeping into my tone. "Don't start with me right now. Don't expect me to talk. I _have _been talking. You're the one who shuts down."

Something flickered in his eyes, a pang of sadness and reproach quickly crossing his face before it was gone the moment I blinked.

"Can you please try to act like being around me is bearable, for at least one day? The last thing I need is for Mom or Ella to get suspicious. Then you can do whatever you want."

Knowing my mother, she would try to stay reasonable about the whole thing. She would stay neutral and not pick sides, letting us battle it out. Ella, on the other hand, would immediately pick up on it. Vivid fantasies of some scandalous adultery would no doubt fill her mind. She'd insist he was cheating, sneaking around behind my back. I had never before entertained the thought,. but could that be the case? The thought made me frown, doubt sweeping like a cold, frigid wind through my mind.

"Max, you know that's not it," Fang said vehemently, his glittering, obsidian eyes softening. He took a step towards me, brushing a few strands of hair from my face, as if his gentle touch could erase the tightening in my chest.

"Then what is, Fang?" I demanded harshly. "Because I honestly don't know anymore. You hide things from me, and you always frolic off somewhere; then never answer anybodies questions when you get back. I'm trying to understand, but the only thing I'm coming up with is that you're not happy here. Not happy with me." There was no mistaking the raw anguish in my tone. Months of timid worrying was amassing, having accumulated over the time span in which his indifference grew.

"This is ridiculous!" he exclaimed, a hint of frustration marring his features; a sharp glint in his steely eyes. "I'm sorry, okay? I wish I could explain, but I can't. Know that it has nothing to do with you, though. _Nothing_. How could you even think such a thing?" He gripped my shoulders roughly in his, bringing his face close to mine so that each of his words was accented by the angry exhales of his breath.

I looked away; anywhere but at those beautiful, emotionless midnight pools- the ones that so easily pierced straight to my soul. There was something unnerving about the way Fang could read me, like a book in a language only he knew.

"Make sure you're ready by two," I reminded him, before tearing myself from his grasp. I turned my back, taking the stairs slowly so that I didn't seem too eager to be out of his presence. He watched me the entire way. Even with my eyes downcast I could feel his penetrating gaze, fostering holes in my skull from its force.

How could I have known that my future was about to change immeasurably, filling me with a kind of uncertainty that was only familiar through my days as I fought to save the world from the clutches of megalomaniacs, and regular humans themselves? How could I know that I was about to lose what little grasp I had on reality, my whole world spiralling into chaos?

**Authors Note: Just some more introducing of stuff. It'll pick up more within the next few chapters, I promise. Anyway, I hope you liked it, and please review, as always! (:**


	3. Chapter Three

**Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews. I don't think I have much else to say . . . so here's chapter three!**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Three**

The fly to Mom's was filled with an unnerving silence. Everyone seemed to sense the uneasy, cold indifference between Fang and I. Angel kept shooting us futile, worried glances as she whispered to Nudge every once in awhile. Even Gazzy kept his mouth shut, sticking close to Iggy like our behavior was contagious.

During this exchange I was struggling to adopt a blank persona. Fang did it so easily, gliding along a few feet behind me as if he wasn't affected at all. I, on the other hand, was still busy fighting my inner turmoil. Maybe if I hadn't said anything things would have been better off. Everything would have passed, and we would be back to normal. It seemed like an implausible feat now, though. Not after I had opened my big mouth, and let every feeling of doubt I had spill out.

Quietly we landed in the woods outside Mom's house, memories of years before coming to life in my mind; their pictures permanently burned there. There was something about the familiarity of my mother's abode that instilled a strange sort of tranquility within me, as my shoulders relaxed further and further each step we took. _Mom will know what to do_, I assured myself. That is if I decided to tell her about my current problem.

"Max!" Ella screamed in delight when I stepped from the shadowy eaves of the tree branches. She jumped up from where she had been seated, lounging in a lawn chair. Her crumpled magazine fluttered to the ground with a thump as she threw her skinny arms around my neck. Had it really been that long?

"Hi Ella," I greeted her, a tiny smirk on my face. She faced me once more, her eyes swimming with mirth.

"It's so good to see you," she exclaimed enthusiastically, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet; a habit she had grown into somewhere around age thirteen.

"It has been awhile," I conceded, feeling slightly guilty. Annual dinner at Moms, which used to be so incredibly mandatory, had slipped to the back of my mind as other problems arose. I hadn't been to one in a few weeks.

Eventually, after a bit more small talk, Ella moved on to the others. I smiled to myself, seeing my half sister interacting with my flock. You'd think by now it would seem natural, but every time we got together, it still amazed me that she was able to accept us so easily. Mom knew about the whole operation; was aware of what would happen when she donated the egg that would become me. Ella on the other hand grew up in complete ignorance. Sometimes, I think that might be better. Awareness of the true cruelties in the world would have matured her too fast. It was important for her to act her age. I'd hate to take that away from her, like our innocence had been so brutally ravaged by the School.

I moved slowly across the grass, bright and flashing in the summer heat. Things would be cooling down soon as fall closed in, but for now we could enjoy the sunshine and growth around us. The lush forests would be replaced by the death and decay of a moving cycle of life. It was only natural. Not that much in Arizona was ever very 'lush'.

I gently pushed open the door, listening to the familiar screech as the hinges protested loudly, announcing my presence better than any alarm could. Upon seeing the shiny, waxed floors I slipped my shoes off, careful not to leave any tracks. The tangy, sharp scent of cleaning supplies was in the air, making me shiver. I hated the way even that reminded me of my past.

"Ella?" Mom called, peeking her head around the corner. Upon seeing me her eyes lit up. "Oh, hello Max. Finally decided we were worth your time?"

"I'm sorry," I said truthfully, as she pulled me into a warm hug. "I've just been busy."

She nodded in understanding, not pursuing the matter further. That was another thing I loved about my mom. She never pried. It wasn't that she didn't care, she just knew if there was something important to be said, I would say it.

"Is everything settled at the house?" she asked, leading me to the table. I sat down as she bustled around the kitchen, somehow producing two cups full of lemonade. I took a sip before answering.

"Yup. We put the last of the boxes away a few days ago." Since I had turned eighteen, along with Iggy and Fang, I decided it was high time we leave Mom some peace. A few months ago we had transferred to our new home. Mom always complained, saying she didn't mind we were around, but I knew her tiny house couldn't hold us all forever.

"So we should be able to start Thursday night dinners again?" she inquired meaningfully, giving me a stern -though mocking- glare. I suppressed a smile, nodding in consent. Iggy's cooking was divine, but Mom's authentic Mexican dishes were out of this world. Even he couldn't compete with that, which is saying something.

We lapsed into silence, each of us sipping our drinks. The soft humming of the air conditioner washed over me, as only the vaguest shrieks from outside broached the quiet. I glanced out the window, catching a glimpse of the clear blue sky. It reminded me of the storm last night, and how strange it was that the weather could change so drastically.

How our _lives _could change so drastically; in one inexplicable fragment of time.

"Is something wrong, Max?" Mom's soft inquiry reached my ears. I realized the corners of my mouth were tugging down, as my brows furrowed. I bit my lip, briefly not meeting her eyes.

"I'm fine," I replied offhandedly, though the lie was clear in my tone. Tentatively, as if watching for my reaction, she placed her weathered hand over mine, squeezing it comfortingly.

"What is it?" she questioned, as if I had just confirmed her worst suspicions. I averted my gaze, glaring down at the ridged, scratched surface of the wood table. The deep pockets that told a millennia of history stared back at me, urging me on.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" The strain in my voice was clear. I wanted to tell her, but I knew deep down inside I also wanted her to ask. Without that I would never have the courage to speak.

"Call it mother's intuition, but I know when my daughter's harboring secrets," she replied insistently, a small smile gracing her smooth features.

"Yeah, well I'm not the only one," I muttered crossly, my thoughts immediately going to Fang. He was probably sitting somewhere in the shade outside, watching on thoughtfully as the flock mingled; talking and laughing. Not completely attached, but never really a part of things either.

Mom waited silently and patiently, willing me to explain further.

"Mom, what happened to Ella's dad?" I asked on a whim, watching as the surprise registered in her expression.

"Why would you want to know about that?"

"I just . . . you never talk about him, and I guess I've always wondered what went wrong . . ." I mumbled, trailing off. Mom was getting this faraway look in her eyes, like she was remembering; reminiscing in times past.

"It wasn't a very serious relationship," she began in a sad, melancholy tone. "We were moving too fast though, caught up in the whirlwind of life. I never planned on getting pregnant with Ella. We weren't even married at the time, or anywhere close to it. He was prepared to step up to the plate, though. He bought me a ring and we signed some papers. Nothing fancy, just quick and simple. I was almost at the nine months mark when I found out he was cheating. It seems he wasn't as committed as he led me to believe. He was in a car accident not to long after that though, and passed away."

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, clenching her trembling hand in the both of mine. She was quiet for a moment after, before she took a deep breath- recollecting herself. When she faced me again, her shoulders squared, she was the pillar of strength I usually referred to her as.

"No matter. That was a long time ago. And besides, I'm happy where I am now," she insisted, smiling in an effort to convince me further.

"How do you know though?" I pondered. "How do you know when someone's cheating?"

"Well," she started slowly, thinking about it. "I suppose their behavior changes a bit. You start noticing little things that they do differently. They get defensive easily. They disappear places. They guard their phones and other things like that with their life. They sometimes look guilty . . . The list goes on and on. Why are you asking?"

I retracted my hands from her grip, dropping them in my lap. I glared down, the first signs of tears burning in my eyes. I felt stupid almost immediately, blinking them back harshly. I fumbled with the frayed edge of my t-shirt, biting the inside of my cheek to stop the shriek I could feel building in my throat from exploding out.

Everything she said had applied to Fang's recent behavior. Oh God, but it couldn't be true. He wouldn't.

"Max? Sweetie, you don't think that . . . Oh, you don't think Fang would . . ." she trailed off uselessly, coming around to sit beside me. She draped her arms along my shoulders, pulling me into an embrace, like I was fourteen again and needed a bit of comfort.

"I don't know what else _to _think," I admitted, hating how weak I appeared.

"Trust me, honey, what he's up to is nothing of the sort. I promise."

I pulled back, my eyes narrowing at her. "You know what he's being so secretive about?" I demanded brashly.

She hesitated a moment before nodding.

"Well than what is it?" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet. Was I the only one who didn't have a clue what was going on?

"I can't tell you," she insisted. A crease appeared in her forehead as she frowned up at me.

"What do you mean you can't tell me? Everything is falling apart here. I'm going insane trying to figure this out, and all along you knew? Whose mother are you; his or mine?" I spat, letting my anger get the best of me. She flinched at my harsh words, and just under the surface I myself recoiled at the unnecessary steel in my voice. At the moment though, my vision was clouded in red, and I couldn't find enough will within me to care.

I turned my back to her, before my frustration and fury could get the best of me and I said something I really regretted. I knew she didn't deserve any of this, that he probably begged her not to say anything. Some long-buried part of my mind whispered that if it was really _so _bad she would say something. She would never keep me in the dark if it was something to worry over.

I exited quickly, hearing her chair scrape against the floor as she hurried to catch up to me. I tugged my shoes on, banging the door shut behind me as I left. I glanced over my shoulder once to see her standing in the doorway, her hands hanging limply at her sides. I think it might have been the first fight we had ever had. The thought stung more than I could have possibly imagined.

Heads turned in surprise to stare at me in question. I ignored Fang, who had come to his feet the moment I appeared, shoving his worried look to the back of my mind.

"I'm not feeling well guys. I think I'm just going to fly back to the house. Stay for as long as you want, as long as it's not too late," I ordered. I took a small running start, leaping into the air without waiting for a response. I down stroked hard, my wings lifting me into the air. As I gained altitude I started breathing easier, leaving my worries on the ground.

Once I was high enough, only appearing to be a large dot in the sky to a regular human, I kicked it into overdrive. I let my super speed take over, my body slicing through the atmosphere at top speeds. The wind whistled by so blindingly fast it left a dull ringing in my ears. Only a scant two minutes later did I arrive at our doorstep, landing heavily in the grassy backyard.

The sun was still high in the sky, beating down on my back hotter and hotter, like it knew what I had done. Now that the cool air had calmed my nerves some, I was able to think straight. I knew I had overreacted immensely, lashing out at my mother even though all she had offered me was comfort. Some daughter I was. I could see why she would prefer Fang over me, even if it wasn't true.

I eased the back door open, shuffling into the living room. I crossed the floor, standing in front of the wide glass windows. I waited patiently, examining the outside world as it resumed as normal, ignorant to the troubles arising. My eyes were trained on a group of birds resting on a tree branch. Not far from there an empty nest perched, nestled against the rough bark. A few barren feathers remained, scattering as a heavy wind whistled through the swaying branches.

There was a disturbance somewhere out of my sight, and the birds flapped in distress, their beaks opening in a call of warning. Not a moment later they all took flight, zipping away to a more comfortable place. I cocked my head to the side, listening for the sound of the door. I knew it wouldn't be long before he followed me.

There was a small creak, and an almost indiscernible click as the door opened and closed again. If I really focused I could hear the soft, muted thumps of his footsteps, but only if I really, _really _tried.

I continued to avert my attention to the outside world, the window not yet offering a glare so that I could see behind me. I crossed my arms over my chest, my eyes boring a hole into the lanky, swishing grass.

Soft hands landed on my shoulders, skimming down my arms before they wrapped around my waist. A chin found its way into the crook of my neck, lips pressing against the hollow space there. I resisted the urge to lean into him, standing my ground stiffly.

"At least one good thing has come from this," he whispered, hugging me tightly.

"Oh, and what's that?" I asked icily.

"Our mind blocks are still going strong. They have to be, or else Angel wouldn't be just as worried as everybody else," he explained. I tugged myself from his grip, turning around to face him. I glared into his obsidian, depth less eyes, willing him to just tell the truth.

"Well I'd be worried if I was her, too."

"The thing is," he insisted softly, his dark eyes swirling in a mysterious, intoxicating way, "there's no cause for such a thing."

"I disagree."

He sighed, wounding his arms around me again; forcing me to step towards him. "Max, you know I'd never cheat on you. How you ever came up with that is still beyond me. You should never doubt my feelings for you. Having your mom tell me you think that is ten times worse. You should have talked to me."

"I try to talk to you, Fang!" I screamed, shoving him back roughly. My anger was rekindling quickly. "I try to talk to you _all the time_, but you never listen, goddammit!"

"Max-" he started, in that low, reassuring tone of his. It was meant to soothe me; to make me calm down enough to see some sense. I wasn't in the mood to be wrangled down though. My old fiery spirit was coming back full force.

"Just tell me the truth," I insisted through gritted teeth, my voice level slowly rising as I spoke. "Tell me why all of a sudden you keep things from me. Tell me why you always disappear to places. Tell me why you refuse to answer any of my questions. Tell me why everything that seemed so strong before is becoming fragile glass. Tell me why we're _this _far from shattering!"

"You want to know?" Fang asked calmly, staring at me with a hooded, languid expression. "You _really _want to know?"

"_Yes_!" I yelled, throwing my hands up in the air.

"I wasn't going to tell you until I was absolutely sure. It took awhile for me to even decide whether or not I was going to go through with it. I've been trying to get things straightened out . . . trying to prepare."

"Just get on with it," I insisted, hands on my hips as I glowered fully at him now.

"Max . . . I'm enlisting in the army."

**Authors Note: Not much of a surprise cliffhanger there, but you'll just have to review to get Max's reaction. So . . . review please!**


	4. Chapter Four

**Authors Note: For those of you who also read The Hostile Encounters, you'd know I usually update within days. For some reason this story is different. Maybe it's the fact that I have school, so I'm busier. Either way, I don't feel compelled to update as fast as I did before. Lack of time on my hands, I suppose. Keep in mind the more reviews I get, the more likely I'll be to update fast *hint, hint* Don't worry, though. It'll never be an excessive amount of time between.**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Four**

It felt like somebody had punched me in the gut, and like a domino effect, simultaneously shoved me off a cliff with my wings tied together. I felt myself stumble backwards, my back hitting the wall as I spiralled closer and closer to my imminent death. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, trying to process all at once. This was all just too much.

"You're . . . what?" I asked breathlessly, turning my incriminating, accusing stare on him. What he was suggesting wasn't plausible.

"I'm enlisting in the army," he said slowly, taking a step towards me. The emotion in his eyes was, for once, clear. His concern at my reaction almost made me want to laugh. Almost.

I blinked haltingly, sliding down the wall. My butt hit the floor with a resounding thump, seeming to echo in the deafening silence that followed. I dropped my head into my hands, biting back a groan. This was not happening. Not now. Not when things were _finally _going good.

"Max, say something," he whispered delicately, his hand propping my chin up so that I was forced to look at him. He was crouched down in front of me, his dark brow furrowed. "Please."

"No," I ground out. "No, no, no. You're not enlisting in the damn army."

Fang momentarily closed his eyes, a sigh shuddering through his torso. When he looked down at me again there was a resignation about his demeanor that frightened me almost as much as his dire announcement.

"I was afraid you'd say that," he murmured, smoothing a stray piece of my hair back behind my ear, his fingertips lingering on my cheek. I shoved his hand away, glaring at him now.

"It doesn't matter. You're not doing it," I stated blatantly, leaving no room for discussion. He started speaking again anyway, not quite getting my silent memo about not wanting to talk about it. Usually he was very sensitive to those kinds of things.

"Max, please try to understand. It took me so long to figure out, but eventually I did. Your destiny was to save the world. And you did. I realized at some point that my purpose is to keep it that way. I'm going to make sure humans don't screw up the balance you've worked so hard to make for them. I'm going to maintain the peace, so what you did doesn't go to waste. It's my job . . . It's my _destiny_."

"Stop being ridiculous," I demanded, my lip quivering slightly- whether in anger or sorrow, I did not know.

"Max-" he started in again, pleading.

"Stop!" I shouted. "We're not going to talk about it, alright? I'm the leader here. I say no, so that means no. You're not going to go out there and risk your neck at the hands of stupid people with guns. You're not giving yourself over to a war whose cause you don't support."

"Don't get mad at me," Fang insisted in a level tone, his expression hard. Obviously, he wasn't expecting the force in which I opposed his incredibly idiotic, suicidal plan.

"Too late," I snarled, clambering to my feet. He rose with me, his dark head looming over mine. I shoved past him, intent on escaping to the open expanse of the sky. I needed to get away; clear my head for a bit.

"You're overreacting," was his response to this. I froze in place, twisting my head around to look at him.

"Overreacting?" I asked harshly. "You've got to be kidding."

"Max, this isn't up to you. I know you want to think it is, but that's a delusion. It's my decision, and you know it."

"You're an asshole," I spat, running from the room before he could say any more. I didn't want to hear it. At this point, I would be willing to cover my ears and sing 'la, la, la' like a child if I had to. Anything to get away from his words, and the crushing blows they delivered.

He made no move to follow me, somehow sensing that things would only get worse. I flung the door open in a murky haze, unaware of most of my actions. There was nothing but the panic settling into the pit of my stomach; a bitter taste flooding my mouth. I snapped out my wings almost instantaneously, leaping from the porch as my feathers spread behind me in a wide arc. I took to my one place of comfort, weaving through the air as fast as I could. Somehow putting space between myself and Fang seemed like the only way to escape his announcement, even if it wasn't true.

Nevertheless, I led the news on a high speed chase, never stopping to recollect myself- only flying towards the horizon I would never physically reach. Eventually my thoughts caught up to me, whirling in a hectic tandem in my mind. Few coherent wisps escaped, becoming a tangled web of emotions.

After some time I slowed, now gliding gracefully on the warm air currents. This allowed me a moment to breath properly for the first time, thereby straightening out a few things in my head.

Like how scary the prospect of Fang being thrown into the middle of a battlefield full of heavy artillery; guns and bombs, things were weren't used to, was. Like how frightening the thought of him leaving for so long appeared. Like how genuinely terrifying it was that he was willing to risk his life for the cause I had been fully convinced was stable.

Was I the only one who saw the insanity in this?

It had been so long since I had to worry about these kinds of dangers. Fang wasn't right in the head if he thought I was just going to let him walk back into the trouble we had finally escaped. What had spurred this? Was I so incredibly unbearable that he'd be willing to die, just to get away from me?

Sure, it was a very brave thing to do. I was proud of the people who risked their lives on a daily basis to ensure our safety . . . just as long as one of those people wasn't Fang. _ My Fang_.

He didn't belong there. He had already done so much. Everyone needs a break now and then, and he deserved this tranquility. He had full rights to live out the remainder of his life peacefully. Why would he forfeit that?

The whole damn thing just couldn't process in my mind. Nothing made sense. Putting two and two together was virtually impossible at this point.

Eventually I got tired of my aimless wandering; my mind throwing up a wall to block out all unnecessary thoughts of Fang's current preposition. I needed to take a deep breath and stop thinking so much. I would convince him his idea was foolhardy. I was, quite possibly, the only one in this world with that power. I planned on taking full advantage of that. He wasn't going to get off so easily.

Angling my wings down, I looped in a wide circle, facing back the way I came. I hovered there a moment, just surveying my surroundings. All around me lay the vast sea of the sky, a fading blue as the sun dipped closer and closer to the horizon. Afternoon was blurring into evening, the heat settling to a dull, shimmering mirage as things cooled off. The temperature dropped to something more comfortable, my wings being buffeted by strong winds. At this altitude nothing pervaded my peace. No birds ventured this high, nor was there a plane in sight.

Everything was perfect, while being the exact fragile opposite at the same time.

I didn't pay much attention to the varying landscapes below me. There was something more majestic and enlightening about being in flight when you centered all your thoughts on nothing but the wide, open sky before you. It allowed me to be more appreciative of the one good thing that came with the School's testing- the very wings on my back. Sometimes they were nothing but a hindrance . . . but mostly, just being up in the air reminded us all how _good _it truly felt to be able to fly. Every day people wished for things like this. They considered us lucky, if you took out the ghastly, horrific past of blood and more or less sacrifice.

Time seemed to slow down as I neared the house once more. Very briefly I landed in the cover of trees just on the outskirts of town, wanting to buy as much time as possible. I wasn't yet ready to face Fang.

I meandered through the streets of the business district, peering into the old fashioned, dusty shops as I walked. Mostly they were there for show, not that this little town got many tourists. It gave the residents something to do though, as they battled the sheer boredom of such an isolated life. Most of the big cities, like Phoenix, were hours away. Nobody payed attention to the little people. Seclusion was good for us, though. None of the flock wanted to be immersed in large crowds.

An old couple sat on a bench a few yards before me, and as I passed I surreptitiously glanced at them out of the corner of my eye. Their shoulders were hunched with old age, their skin wrinkled; each fold telling the story of another year. Yet still they held each other, their hands clasped tightly together and their heads bent towards one another as they whispered.

I realized with a pang that even though I grew up under unfortunate circumstances, _I wanted that_. I wanted to grow old with Fang and my family. I wanted to be that couple sitting somewhere, blissfully ignorant to the changing world around me. I wanted to be in love, and to keep loving for the rest of my life- well past my golden years.

Maybe that was why the prospect of Fang going into war scared me so much . . . Maybe it was because there was a good chance that he wouldn't come back to me.

The very thought was absolutely petrifying.

Slowly I picked up my pace, as the street lamps flickered to life around me. The sky was quickly darkening, becoming a deeper hue of blue; which would eventually meld into the onyx of night. I wondered if the rest of the flock was back yet, and if Fang was planning on telling them about his decision. I hardly saw how it mattered. I had already told him; he _wasn't _doing it.

Finally I got tired of walking, and slipped quietly into the trees when nobody was looking. I traveled over the rough terrain for a few minutes, before locating a small clearing. Here I spread my wings once more, my feathers ruffling in relief after being pulled tightly against my back for so long. I took to the sky, not wasting any time relishing in the world around me. My time for deep, meaningful revelations was over.

I slipped in through the front door this time, cautiously moving through the house. It was surprisingly silent, but as I moved towards the back, voices became apparent. I appeared in the arch of the living room just in time to see Fang settle everyone.

Iggy was lounging on the couch, his pale hands drumming on the arm of the sofa like he had somewhere better to be. Nudge, being Nudge, was rapt at attention, her eyes glowing at the prospect of some new gossip. Gazzy was lying on his stomach, head in hands, staring up at Fang from his perch on the floor. Angel was seated with her legs folded, staring calmly and placidly upwards, as if she knew all about the dire situation.

I watched from the shadows as Fang gave them the same spiel he had given me. I examined their reactions with a keen eye. Judging by Nudge's shocked squeal and Angel's now floored expression, I could tell they were more or less unaware of such a thing, never having suspected this to occur. Iggy's eyes had widened to the size of dinner plates. Gazzy, however, was now staring up at Fang with such an idolizing expression that I almost sucked in a harsh breath at the sight of it.

I noticed, though, that no one made any objections.

Hushed murmurs flushed through the room, everyone trying to speak at once. Nudge's hands were flailing wildly as her lips blurred together, her words slurring into one huge jumble. She didn't even stop for a breath, forging on.

Fang glanced up suddenly, his eyes meeting mine. I stared blankly at him for a moment, careful to conceal my emotions. He opened his mouth, like he was going to say something, and I quickly turned on my heel, darting down the hall and out the back door. I crumpled into myself, throwing my lanky body into a chair, all the energy sucked out of me.

I sat, curled into myself with my knees resting under my chin, just glaring up at the heavens. Why was I being put in such a hard position? I looked arrogant, selfish, and cold refusing Fang his rights to enter the army. It would have been a good thing, under any other circumstances. I just couldn't bear the thought of him being in danger now, not after so long . . . and especially with me not right at his side.

I shivered as the temperature plummeted, night wearing on. The sky turned an inky black, sparse stars winking at me tauntingly from their places in the universe. The moon was a thin sliver, barely allowing any light to shine through. I didn't mind much. The solitude of the night seemed somehow preferable to me at the moment.

At one point the door opened slowly, announcing Fang's arrival with a creak. I stared straight ahead, not acknowledging his presence.

"Max, come inside. It's getting late," he had insisted, standing a few feet behind me. I didn't say a word in reply, and eventually he left me to the unnerving quiet once more.

I didn't know how much time passed then. The moon had finished its steady climb to the tip of the world, and there it rested in all its glory. My eyes became heavy with sleep, my head nodding to the side. I jerked back into an upright position more than once, before finally settling with my forehead resting on my knees. I sighed softly, allowing my groggy mind to shut down completely. There was no more fighting it.

It may have been hours, or maybe only five minutes, later that Fang appeared once more. He whispered something in my ear, stooping down in front of me. I mumbled incoherently, my heavy lidded eyes struggling to open. I was losing the battle though, drifting back into unconsciousness.

After a moment of this Fang decided waking me was a lost cause, and he settled for slinging my arms around his neck. I wearily tried to protest, but ended up locking my fingers into place despite this. He lifted me easily, like I weighed nothing at all, holding me tightly to his torso. I wrapped my legs around his waist, too drowsy to care anymore.

Carefully he carried me to my room, gently laying me in my bed. I curled up on instinct, as he placed the covers back around me. I didn't realize until then just how cold I had been. My teeth chattered slightly as I shifted, moving into a more comfortable position. I vaguely remember mumbling something as he smoothed back a piece of my air, his lips lingering on my temple for a moment, before only the ghost of his touch remained.

**Authors Note: What do you think? Tell me in a REVIEW! I'm going to need something to console me, considering I found the CUTEST shoes to wear for my banquet, yet even when the girl called the store as far as Oklahoma, they didn't have them in my size. FML! (;**


	5. Chapter Five

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Five**

_It was just like any other day, in an endless cycle of normal, repetitive any other days. The sun was shining, the foliage thriving as the birds whistled from their respective perches in the trees. It was business as usual. _

_There was a palpable emptiness hanging in the air though. A solemn outlook on what was previously a raucous, joyful home. Lights seemed dimmer and shadows more plentiful. They were like tangible objects, intensifying with each breath they took. There was rarely any laughter, and a shortage of smiles. Nothing was right in this state._

_Still, the worst was to come._

_As if on some hidden cue; thick, heavy gray clouds rolled in from the east, blowing forth on a strong wind. They were moving with such intense speed that it was hard to see through the whipping gales. It was almost impossible to discern any surroundings, therefore it was inevitable that you could get caught up in the roiling mass of sheer nature, from a force greater than you yourself._

_The wind and clouds became a twister of elements, sucking up and dragging anything along with it in its path. It blew on and on, never stopping, for an indeterminable amount of time. It seemed like forever, to be trapped in such daunting conditions._

_Screaming was foolish. The wind snatched up the sound before it could be heard by anyone near. The hope of being rescued was futile and foolhardy. No one would notice the trouble brewing. It was a personal sort of hell, everyone else being immune._

_It seemed like a stroke of luck then, when all of a sudden the swirling mass around you morphed into a pale, hazy blue. Oh, how wrong an assumption._

_Almost bringing a smile to lips unfamiliar with the gesture after so long a withdrawal, the sharp cracks of fireworks reached attentive ears. Such a lovely sound to accompany the strikingly beautiful day, though if thinking properly; it would seem odd that firecrackers were being set off in broad daylight._

_. . . In fact, the smoky wisps accompanying them smelled entirely too wrong. Hair prickling, the ground came into view. All too soon it was made perfectly clear what was occurring._

_How stupid, to think of trivial things such as a lights display, as if we were celebrating the fourth of July- when in fact, what was really happening was much, much more serious._

_Figures crouched all around, hiding in any alcoves they could find. Armor covering as much as possible, they laid in waiting for their next unfortunate victim. Each side was only thinking of themselves and possibly their loved one's survival. Each soul on the battlefield below had taken a life in order to ensure another's._

_In a sudden flurry of activity shots were fired, raising dust. Watching closely you could see, after the wreckage had cleared, two soldiers limping away; one possibly fatally wounded and suffering. Still, a body remained, dripping rivulets of blood. The crimson mingled with the dirt, turning it the color of death._

_If you looked harder, you could identify physical features. Like the tanned skin and strong jaw. The ruffled black hair and startling obsidian eyes, still wide open and glaring even in death, with a coldness unparalleled to the chill now running through you._

_The one you yearned for was dead . . . _

_Dead and never coming home to you, proving every one of your biggest fears true._

Terrified, I trembled, choking on the suffocating air. There was something in my throat, preventing any oxygen passage. I clawed at my chains uselessly, trying to escape their hold on me. Finally I managed to wrestle free from the bed sheets tangled around my body, spluttering as I gulped; lungs burning brutally.

Breathing harshly I pulled my knees to my chest, rocking back and forth in the pressing darkness. A thin sliver of moonlight was shining in from the window, but everywhere else there was nothing but dark, threatening space. That and the terrible grief that was consuming me.

I tried closing my eyes, to block out all the wailing thoughts in my mind. This only intensified the picture of his empty eyes though, making me shake uncontrollably. There was no escaping the fear and anguish.

I repeated, like a tolling chant, that it was just a dream. Fang was still alive. Fang was fine. In fact, he was just in the other room, only a few feet across the hall. The space seemed unbreachable though, like something I couldn't ever cross. It was becoming unbearable, to not be sure of his safety. There was a part of me that was positive if I didn't see for myself, there was never a way of knowing.

Taking a trembling breath I came to my feet, rubbing at my aching eyes. A glance in the mirror showed a wild eyed girl, blond hair in a matted disarray. I hardly recognized myself, from the panic still reverberating deep within me.

I took a moment for a few more deep breaths, smoothing down my hair. Sliding into the bathroom I splashed my face with water, careful not to make too much noise. The icy chill it sent up my spine was enough to dispatch of the redness and irritation of my iris's, and also the dull, pounding ache in my chest. _Everything will be okay_, I reminded myself, even though I was still finding that hard to believe. I fantasized that the reassurance helped, though I was no more or less afraid.

The creak of the door seemed deafening in the hollow silence the house was shrouded in. It was well past midnight, into the ungodly hours of morning. No one would be awake. I was wary as I tiptoed across the hall, paranoid that anyone should stumble across me in such a state. They'd think I'd finally gone round the bend.

Fang's door was shut tightly, no sound coming from within. I pushed it open softly, a shaft of the light from the hallway leading to him. He was just a motionless, sprawling form on his bed, his black sheets covering most of his body. I quickly stepped inside, closing the door with extreme care. Nothing but the resounding click made a noise, though even that made me jump slightly.

"Fang?" I whispered.

As I moved forward he stirred, blinking lazily up at me. I stopped at his bedside, staring down in relief as he blearily studied me, groggy with fatigue. It took him a few moments to say anything, but that was enough for my erratically beating heart to settle with relief. He was perfectly together in one piece. Nothing to worry about.

"What's wrong?" he slurred, wiping at his eyes to help him see more clearly.

"Nothing. It's okay now. I was just checking," I said honestly, beginning to back away. Something in my tone must have alerted him to my unease though, because he sat up instantly, his gaze piercing.

"What happened?" he demanded, running a hand through his already messy hair. It was surprisingly alluring.

I just shook my head, taking another step. "I promise, it's nothing."

He sighed, shaking his head in defeat. Moving slightly aside, he pulled the covers back, motioning for me. "Come here."

I complied without hesitation, realizing that if I ever wanted a chance to sleep again the only way it would happen was this. If I went back to my empty, lonely room I would just stare at the ceiling for hours until it was a preferable time to awaken.

Huddling close to Fang, I laid my head on his chest, letting his strong arms encircle me. For the moment I would forget I was supposed to be mad at him, and I would just let things be. I wasn't prepared to face the fear again, and Fang had a strange knack for chasing away nightmares. His bare chest was warm, even though everything else felt freezing. I had forgot he always slept without a shirt these days.

"Now what happened?" he whispered, his breath tickling the exposed skin of my neck. I shivered before answering.

"I had a bad dream." For some reason, saying it then didn't seem like such a weak, childish thing to do. There was nowhere I felt safer, and being honest came too simply to ignore.

"What was it about?" he asked sleepily, and I noted that he was probably dead tired. In fact, he was probably already half asleep. I pressed myself closer to him in the dark, begging for unconsciousness to come to me as well.

"I'll tell you in the morning," I replied wearily, too exhausted from all that had transpired to explain. He complied quickly enough, holding me close to him, his lips pressed to my hair.

How was he so willing to give this up?

I woke up to a room not much brighter than when it was night. Fang always kept his curtains shut tightly, making everything dim and shadowy. I didn't quite understand this, since we usually preferred wide, open places. The lighting just made it seem smaller and more closed off. Claustrophobia was already starting to tickle at the back of my mind.

"You're up," Fang stated, his breath ruffling my hair as he spoke. I twisted around in his arms, using my elbows to push myself up slightly. I stared into his eyes, which were gleaming with some emotion I couldn't identify.

"Obviously," I murmured, smiling.

"_Finally_," he tacked on, placing a light kiss on my nose. I squirmed, burying my face in his neck. His arms tightened around me, creating an inescapable barrier, not that I was planning on going anywhere.

We laid in comfortable silence for the next few minutes. I knew that it wouldn't last long. Nothing ever did, or so I had come to learn. I didn't have the best luck, in case you hadn't noticed yet.

"So what happened last night?" Fang inquired, running a hand lazily up and down my back.

I froze, biting my lip, as the full force of my nightmare came back. For the moment I had forgotten my previous terror, but his words had resurrected that fear instantly.

"Max?" Fang murmured in concern, lifting my chin with his finger. I didn't have a choice but to stare into those hard, obsidian eyes. My mind immediately flashed to his lifeless body in my dream, and I couldn't stop the tremor that wracked my body. Tugging against his hold I sat up, crossing my legs in front of me. I turned my back, staring at the wall.

"It was so horrible," I began in a whisper, though I knew by the stillness of his movements that he was listening intently. "I didn't know what was happening for most of it, but the end was enough to put things into perspective."

"I don't think I've ever seen you look more scared in your life," he admitted. "You had this look in your eyes, like something terrible had occurred. It was strange, not seeing you trying to act all tough."

"That's because you were dead Fang. I watched you get shot, murdered at the hands of war. I thought maybe I was going to die, too." I lowered my head into my hands, trying to control my breathing. Even so my shoulders continued to quake, though I didn't shed a single tear.

"Oh Max," Fang whispered, pulling me to his chest. I didn't resist, but I didn't relax either.

"You can't go, Fang. You can't go and get yourself killed. I don't know what I'd do," I insisted almost feverishly. I would do anything to make him stay.

"I'll be fine," he tried to assure me, but I wasn't buying it. Not one bit.

"How do you know?" I exclaimed wildly, struggling to escape his grip "How do you know for sure?"

"You just have to trust me."

I finally pulled free, jumping to my feet. I stalked to the other side of the room, dangerously simmering. "This isn't how things were supposed to end. We weren't supposed to survive hell just so you can go and get yourself killed."

"I'm not going to die," Fang retorted firmly, also taking a stand.

"What you say now doesn't mean anything, Fang," I insisted harshly. "The truth is you don't know what's going to happen. Do you understand how easily you could be killed? Are you even thinking about what this will do to us, who have to sit back and wait for news that you've survived another day? Are you thinking about what it's going to do to _me_?"

"Max, you don't need me. You'd be fine on your own. I'm the one who needs you. Doing this will be the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but it'll be worth it. It's better than just sitting around doing nothing day after day."

"This is what you've always wanted!" I screamed, throwing my hands into the air in frustration. "The whole time we were on the run you tried to convince me to settle down; to stop playing their game. Look at you now Fang! We're finished with them, and you're trying to crawl right back."

"It's different now," he stated stonily, giving me a blank stare.

"Different?" I screeched, almost wincing at the sound. "Different how? You're risking your life to ensure the very thing you tried to downplay for most of our lives. I always thought you'd support me, but now that I think about it, you were trying to convince me to abandon my efforts the entire time."

"People enlist in the army all the time. It's important. It matters. They need soldiers, and I'm willing to fight for this country."

"Oh, would you stop being so goddamned noble for _two seconds_?" I spat angrily.

Fang laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "I used to say the same thing to you all the time. But I know the feeling now. I know the drive to do something you feel is important. I never stopped you, so why can't you just be happy for me?"

"Is that really it Fang? Do you just feel so strongly about this whole thing, or is it something else? Am I such a repulsive person that you'd go to such drastic measures to be away from me?" I demanded.

Something in his eyes sparked. "Stop trying to make this about you, Max. You're always doing that. This isn't about you! Get it? _This isn't about you_."

"Obviously," I snarled, shoving him hard. He stumbled back a few steps, his eyes blazing. "Because if you had ever, at any point in your life, cared one bit about me; you would have stopped to think about how much this is killing me inside, watching you give up _everything_."

"Max-" Fang started, his eyes softening. I didn't want to hear it though. I whirled around, marching to the door. Without pausing I flung it opened, hardly fazed by the way Gazzy and Nudge fell forwards; having been on their hands and knees eavesdropping. Iggy looked down guiltily, and Angel stared at me with such a worried, lost expression that my heart ached.

I breezed by them, thinking I would scold them later. Right now I needed to flee to the sky. There was too much to think about, and not enough space in my mind for it all.

**Authors Note: Drama, drama, drama. This won't be the first big fight they get into either. Mwhuahahah! (Yes, I did just fail at an evil laugh. Thanks for noticing (; ) Anyway, review please? (:**


	6. Chapter Six

**Authors Note: This one is kind of short, so I'm sorry about that. It isn't with its . . . drama, though. **

**And some of you have been commenting on how sad this story is . . . That's kind of what I'm going for. It is written kind of solemnly, I think. I'm trying to make it a bit more serious than most other stories. It also probably has more potential than I'm going to give it. As of now I plan on ending it around chapter twenty, and it probably won't feature the war as first hand as many of you want and are probably expecting, so I'm sorry for that. **

**I don't want to give too much away about what's coming, so I guess I'll stop there.**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Six**

I mostly wandered for the next couple of hours, drifting from place to place. I'd fly for awhile, then take to the ground. I traipsed across woods and different towns, never staying in one place for more than a few minutes. Seeing new things was keeping my mind preoccupied, and away from thoughts of Fang. It was too emotionally challenging to dwell on for too long a period.

Eventually I doubled back, heading in the direction of home. I would have to face him at some point in time, and there was no use putting it off for much longer. On a whim though, I tilted my wings at a different angle, coasting towards another familiar place.

Mom was surprised to see me. She wasn't quite used to me visiting for no apparent reason, and I had ignored her calls after she had revealed she knew what secret Fang was harboring; one that, I soon learned, was monstrous enough to tear us all apart.

She escorted me to the kitchen, where I was greeted with the heavenly aroma of baking chocolate chip cookies.

"I was planning on bringing them over later," she admitted sheepishly, peering at them through the glass of the oven. "It was a sort of peace offering."

"You didn't have to do that. I was just being stubborn . . . Something I'm quite good at, by now."

She nodded, her eyes crinkling with amusement. We sat in silence, the steady ticking of the clock like a ominous toll in the background. Neither of us seemed to know what to say. Normally, small, innocent talk would suffice. Now it seemed trivial and just plain wrong.

"Do you think he's doing the right thing?" I asked suddenly, unable to bear it any longer.

"What?" Mom inquired, looking at me in confusion. I had truly caught her off guard with my question.

"Fang. Do you think he's doing the right thing by enlisting?"

"Well . . ." she started slowly; hesitantly. It was as if she was afraid to say the wrong thing. She didn't want to set me off. She was unaware that I had already blown off most of my steam this morning. It was rebuilding though, little by little, just waiting for the next opportunity.

"Be honest," I ordered, folding my hands in my lap and staring at her petulantly.

"I don't see what anyone could have against it . . . and honey, I know you don't support his decision; but that's just it. It's _his _decision. You can't keep making all his choices for him. He's got to live a little, too. He needs to find himself."

"Well he can do his soul searching at home, where he's safe," I interjected, feeling stung by her words no matter how carefully she spoke them. I wanted more than anything for her to be on my side, but it seemed like that was impossible. Was I really being that selfish?

"All Fang really has is you and the flock. He has virtually no responsibilities outside of that. But they're getting older Max. Even you must realize they don't need taken care of the way they used to. You're just better at keeping strong. He needs something to work towards. This happens to be it. I don't see what's wrong with that."

"What's wrong with that? How about he could get _killed_, Mom. Why can't anybody understand that?" I demanded angrily.

"Don't raise your voice at me, Maximum. You told me to be truthful, so I was," she said sternly, before saying in a softer tone; "My advice would be cherish what time you have left. Being bitter about it will only make the separation harder."

I nodded numbly, all the while knowing I would never commit her wise words to heart. All I could think about, as I stood to leave, was the fact that there _would _be no separation had Fang not decided to rip us to shreds.

I walked into a strange sort of peace in the house. Everyone seemed unaffected by Fang's news, and listening in on our fight this morning. They were all going about their daily routine.

Gazzy and Iggy were playing video games in the living room, shouting colorful obscenities at the screen every once in awhile. I cleared my throat loudly, Gazzy shrinking back involuntarily at the stern glare I sent him. They only used such language when they knew I wasn't around. Iggy, on the other hand, just laughed- continuing to pound away at the controllers. Despite his blindness he was still winning. I never asked how.

The door to Nudge's room was shut tightly, but I could hear the thudding base traveling through the thin walls. No doubt some bubble gum popping, cookie cutter pop star she was currently obsessing over. I paused, peeking around the door to make for sure she was okay. She didn't even glance up from the magazine she was immersed in, only made a slight 'go away' motion with her hand. I bit back a laugh, shaking my head as I closed the door once more.

Angel was no doubt about somewhere, listening in to peoples' thoughts and meddling where she didn't belong. Then again, she could be talking with Total on the phone. She was still a little bit sad about his choice to accompany his doggie of a sweetheart Akila on her many trips with the only good scientists we had ever known, but she understood. You couldn't sever the ties of love.

No, that wasn't true. Obviously, Fang didn't have a problem with doing such a thing.

Speaking of which, I had no idea where he was. Probably off making more secret, diabolical plans to upset the shaky balance we had come to know as everyday life. It wouldn't surprise me.

I shuffled off to my room, a dull ache resounding in my chest. I wanted nothing more than for him to tell me it was all just one big joke. Granted I'd probably beat him to near death, but I'd prefer that over him _going off to war_. The very thought still flooded my mouth with a bitter taste.

It wasn't very late yet, but I stripped off my regular clothes and slipped into my pajamas anyway. The sun was setting, casting the sky in a deep shade of orange. I examined the outside world for a moment, watching the birds flit to and fro in the air. They seemed so happy; so free. I missed the feeling of content I used to have, when I knew everything was going to be alright. That no matter what, we would always be together.

Now I wasn't so sure, and it was driving me insane.

Turning my back to the window I padded across the room once more, dropping my clothes in the laundry basket on the way. I needed to clean up soon. The floor was a cluttered mess. Practically a maze every time I went to stand. I wasn't ready to kick into perfection mode, though. Not yet.

Pulling back the covers I laid down, bringing the blanket under my chin. I buried my face in the pillow, breathing deeply. I tried to calm my mind some, hoping for sleep to take me. Today had been a long day, and I was utterly exhausted from my wandering.

It also seemed that nothing had pieced together. Everything was still the same nonsensical mess, just as from the beginning.

My eyes eventually grew heavy-lidded, but still slumber evaded me. I was perched on the edge between sleep and consciousness, swaying there precariously. It seemed I couldn't let go enough to rid myself of this waking world, where nothing made sense and everything I had come to believe and rely on was broken into fragments.

I was so focused on sleeping that I must have missed the tell-tale creak of the door as it opened, because the next minute there was a gentle hand on my head, brushing back a strand of hair. I tensed up instinctively, twitching nervously. The covers were removed from my body, before being replaced as someone laid down at my back. Strong arms enveloped my tiny frame, lips pressing into the hollow of my throat. I felt a lock of hair tickle my cheek, as I struggled to crack one eye open.

"I'm sorry," Fang whispered, holding me closer still.

I didn't reply, squeezing my eyes tightly in the darkness.

"I don't want to fight, Max. Not now. We don't have much time left," he continued on in earnest, pulling me closer with each word, until I was surprised we didn't suddenly meld into one person.

"Stop," I ordered hoarsely. "Don't talk about it."

He did as I said, his warm breath fanning out into my hair. I felt myself relaxing under his touch, sleep tugging at me from every direction now. I was just about to drift away when he spoke again, this time much softer.

"Just please say you're not mad at me," he ordered, an almost imperceptible quiver in his voice.

"I can't do that," I admitted honestly, biting my lip as the words left my mouth. I could imagine the way he internally flinched, recoiling from my harsh statement.

"Why?" he demanded, something creeping into his tone that I couldn't identify.

"Because I don't understand. I don't get why you've suddenly got this idea that it's okay for you to just run off to death. I thought you were happy. I thought . . . I thought I was doing okay. I'm just trying to figure out why that's not enough," I murmured, feeling a heavy weight settle in the pit of my stomach.

"How many times do I have to tell you this isn't about you? Max, you've done nothing wrong. I wish there was an easy fix to the problem, but there's not. People endure the separation every day . . . and you're the strongest person I know. You'll cope fine. I'm the one who will be a mess."

"Stop," I repeated, irritated. "Stop talking like I don't need you, too. Quit acting like you're the only one who's going to be affected. That's bullshit. Everything for this _whole family _will change. _Everything_. And you don't even care."

There was a long pause, and I was almost afraid he had fallen asleep. Just as I was ready to give up though, he spoke; his tone grave. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well I'm sorry, too. That doesn't mean it fixes things."

No, not anything at all.

**Authors Note: Review?**


	7. Chapter Seven

**Authors Note: This story is such a failure. I have oneshots with more reviews than this story . . . I have stories that have more reviews on one chapter than this story. I'm extremely thankful to those who do read and review, but the lack of response kind of gets me down. It's not your fault. Maybe it's mine? I don't know. I guess it's just this story. I shouldn't complain. I really do love getting any reviews at all. I know I sound like a whiny brat. A bunch of stuff has been going on and I'm just all around down as it is. Don't listen to me. I'm just being selfish. **

**Go ahead and read on.**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Seven**

Despite any fights we had, somehow we always ended up with each other at nights. Some days I'd crawl into bed with him, and others he'd visit me. I brought up the subject once, when we had had a relatively calm day.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this," I stated, snuggling deeper into his chest even as the words left my mouth. His arms tightened around me, his lips lingering near my ear.

"Do what?" he asked sleepily.

"This. Sleeping in the same bed every night. The others are going to start to wonder, and God knows Iggy won't keep his mouth shut if he thinks something is going on," I mumbled crossly, knowing it was true.

Fang sighed, the sound reverberating in his chest. His answer was nonchalant, accented by an uncaring shrug. "Let them wonder."

"But-" I began heatedly.

"Max, no offense, but I really don't care what they think," he murmured, his face close to mine in the dark as he pulled back to stare at me. All I could see was the occasional glint of his eyes, everything else shrouded in the inky blackness.

I opened my mouth to reply, but he had other plans in mind. Inclining his head towards me his lips brushed my own, sending tingles down my spine. I shivered involuntarily, imagining his cocky smirk as he lightly kissed my cheek.

"Don't be arrogant," I scoffed, before pulling his face back to mine. It was only as we parted for a much needed breath that he got out the words he had been holding in until then, his lips brushing against mine as the words formed.

"It's just that, we don't have much time left."

I froze up instantly, my hands like stone in his hair. Slowly, but with deliberate motions, I untangled myself from him. I put as much space between us as possible, positioning my back to face him. His exasperated sigh was deafening in the silence that followed, as I huddled at my edge of the bed, which suddenly seemed incredibly cold and forlorn.

"Max," Fang said softly, gently running his hand down my back. I fought the urge to turn to him; to just kiss him until we were only one person. That way he could never risk himself like he was planning. That way we could be together . . . always.

He repeated my name several times, closing the distance between us with each whisper. I didn't move, staying completely immobile and mute. When his mouth was at my ear again I finally spoke, my voice rough and emotionless.

"You know exactly what to say to ruin everything."

And to that he had no response.

I was in the kitchen with Iggy when it happened. Fang had taken Angel and Gazzy to the movies as a special treat, but Iggy and I had opted out at the last minute. My excuse was I wasn't feeling well, but in reality I just didn't want to have to put on a normal facade for everybody. It was easier to just be visibly upset.

Iggy himself didn't particular enjoy the cinema, which was understandable. It was dark and crowded, and always way too loud. He preferred watching movies at home, where he wouldn't have to put up with a large audience. Even Nudge, who was usually the first to agree to such things, had declined the invitation, on the grounds that she wasn't feeling well. She had disappeared into her room shortly thereafter, and I hadn't seen her since.

Iggy and I had laid about for quite some time, being lazy. When there seemed to be nothing interesting on the TV we eventually drifted into the kitchen, as dinner time approached. The others would be back soon, and hungry, since Fang refused going to a restaurant. I didn't blame him. Gazzy wasn't always the most polite table mate.

I mostly just sat about, trying to be helpful. For the most part Iggy knew where things were though, so there wasn't much for me to do. I could only handle so much of watching him cook though, so I got up to check on Nudge, realizing I hadn't heard or seen her since she had initially gone into hiding. It was too odd not to investigate.

Surreptitiously I left the kitchen, tapping Iggy on the shoulder as I went. I knew he could hear where my footsteps were, because he didn't ask questions; simply returning to his cooking. It struck me again how, even though he was blind, Iggy observed so much more than the rest of us. His ears were his eyes, and maybe -just maybe- that was slightly better.

Creeping down the hall because of a tickling sense in the pit of my stomach I paused outside Nudge's room, listening for rustles of life inside. My ears were met with nothing but untainted silence, my brow furrowing at the lack of sound that was so unlike a fifteen year old girl, let alone Nudge herself. Anxious now I gripped the door handle firmly, allowing the door to swing out in front of me.

Stepping confidently, but warily, from underneath the door frame I examined the room for signs of life. Everything was picked up nice and neat on Nudge's side of the room, which was peculiar enough. That didn't mask the utter lack of Nudge herself, though.

She was gone.

I immediately kicked into semi-panic mode, trying to remain calm. That didn't stop the scenarios from running through my head, though. Images of feral Erasers and whitecoats with glistening needles flashed in conjunction with each other. Terrifying fantasies of being kidnapped, roughly bounded, by the School was enough to set me on edge.

Then a few things clicked into place. One; Nudge's purse for the time being was gone, along with her cell phone and the spare change I had seen lying around earlier before. Two; her makeup, which was usually stuffed in a bag, was strewn across her vanity table, some of the compacts still opened and waiting. Three; I found out, by gently running my hand down its length, that her hair straightener was still barely warm.

The sudden realization that Nudge hadn't been kidnapped by the School was a solemn comfort in hindsight of the fact that she had snuck out. Honestly and truthfully slipped out of the house without anyone's notice, on the terms of her 'not feeling well'.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

This feeling was quickly accompanied by an escalating fury. She should know better. She was smarter than that. Obviously, if she felt she had to go behind my back and do something, it probably wasn't a good idea.

She was in so much trouble it wasn't even funny. Consider her death notice complete.

That was why a half an hour later I was perched on Angel's bed, my arms crossed in front of my chest with a daunting look of intimidation on my face. I glared at the window as it slowly slid upwards. When a Nudge sized hole appeared a leg stuck through, followed by the rest of her body. She didn't seem to notice me at first, humming to herself as she landed lightly on the ground. In fact, it wasn't until she had set her bag down and retracted her wings comfortably that she froze, her eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.

"What do we have here?" I inquired in a dead tone, rising to my feet as Nudge stared fearfully at me, arms still lowered to take off her shoes.

"M-max? What . . . What are you doing up here?" Nudge stuttered, forced to short sentences in her undeniable fright.

"I'm not the one being questioned here," I stated, some of my anger leaking through. She took a step back, her head whipping from side to side as if looking for an escape.

"I . . . I ca-an explain," she insisted, sounding flustered.

"Explain? Explain what? How you snuck out without permission for the first time? How you deliberately went behind my back for what I'm sure is a stupid boy who will only break your heart?" I demanded, my eyes flashing.

"He wouldn't do that!" she shrieked, sounding terrified at the prospect. I smirked knowingly to myself, realizing I had caught her.

"That's what I thought," I murmured, lowering my voice before continuing on. "I hope you realize you just forfeited all the respect I had for you over a _boy_."

"Max!" she wailed. "You don't understand. It was just dinner. Right in the middle of town, surrounded by people. It's not like I did anything dangerous. I just didn't want to tell you, because I was afraid you'd say no, that I shouldn't trust anybody. You're still so paranoid, even after all this time. I was afraid you'd make sure I never saw civilization again," she babbled, her words running together in quick succession. "And I really, really like him and I didn't want to make him mad at me for saying no. I want him to like me so, so much! If I didn't go he would have stopped trying, I just know it."

I stayed quiet for a moment, just glaring at her as she sucked in deep breaths after her speech. When the crazed look had faded from her eyes I said in the calmest voice I could muster; "That's where you're wrong, because I would have let you go had you asked. You want to know why? I trusted you Nudge. I really did."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, her shoulders slumping and her gaze downcast, like she found it impossible now to look me in the eye.

"Do you get that? Do you completely understand? _Trusted_, Nudge. Past tense. You're going to have to work to earn it back," I warned her, careful to keep my voice neutral even as I saw a single tear roll down her cheek. "Everybody should be getting back soon, so let's go downstairs for dinner."

She trailed along behind me, like a lost puppy, as we descended. The others, having just arrived, were walking down the hall. Angel sent me an inquiring look, catching sight of Nudge, but I just shook my head and she shrugged, continuing on. Gazzy, being Gazzy, wasn't nearly as observant, and rushed right past without a word. Fang followed more slowly, his dark eyes boring into mine. I turned quickly, heading for the kitchen and the heavenly smells emanating from it, and what was sure to be an awkward evening.

Iggy had just finished dishing out everyone's plates as I entered, Gazzy already hungrily digging in. I swear with age that boy was becoming a bottomless pit, always starving and never full.

The meal was mostly silent. Iggy and Gazzy whispered in a conspiratory manner together, never glancing up. Angel had a look of concentration on her face that let me know she was trying in vain to get into somebodies head, and Nudge was too busy picking halfheartedly at her food to worry about talking. Fang, of course, was being Fang; never feeling the need to say a word, which I was surprisingly okay with at the moment.

Towards the end of dinner though, he finally spoke up, interrupting everything else.

"Hey, guys?" he asked, getting everyones attention before continuing to say; "I have some news."

I immediately stilled, glaring down at my plate in a refusal to meet his steady, penetrating gaze.

"What is it?" Iggy finally inquired, when Fang didn't go on to explain.

"Everything's pretty much set in stone now. I've talked to some people, made some arrangements. I leave in three weeks," he informed us all, and I had to bite my lip and squeeze my eyes tightly together to keep in the scream building in my throat.

"Really?" Gazzy asked, not trying to mask the awe in his tone. It almost reduced me to tears, the wonder in which he looked up at Fang now, like he truly was his hero.

"Yeah. I'll go through a few months of training. Not as much as everyone else, since they're aware of the conditions I grew up in. Then I'm not sure where they'll put me. I'm going to be their secret weapon, because of my wings and all. They think I'm valuable."

"That's so cool!" Gazzy shouted, pumping his fist in the air like he was eight again, and he had just taken down an Eraser by himself.

"It's pretty cool," Fang admitted, getting this look in his eyes. _He liked Gazzy's attention_. The thought floored me. He wanted people to look up to him for his decision. He loved Gazzy's admiration and pride. It made him happy.

But it just made me sick.

I pushed my chair back abruptly, almost toppling it in my haste. Quickly I righted it, leaving my plate in its place. Someone else would get it. Right now I needed to get away.

"Max?" Fang asked, coming to a stand as well, his forehead wrinkling slightly in concern.

"Stay," I ordered, giving him a hair raising glare.

"What's wrong?" he inquired, stepping towards me despite my words.

"Just leave me alone! I don't want to hear it, alright? _Any _of it. Save your hero talk for when I'm not around, because I can see right through it. It's bullshit, Fang, and you know it," I snarled. "I don't want to listen to you embrace your own death after everything we've been through!"

"Stop," he said warningly, flicking a glance at the others who were watching our transaction with rapt attention. I gave out one more unintelligible growl before I stalked away, ignoring the light footsteps shadowing my own.

**Authors Note: I have zero enthusiasm for updating right now, but **_**please **_**review?**

**Tell me if you think this story is worth continuing or not. I don't know. It just seems like most people don't actually like what's going on. If everybody hates it and I can't find any will to write for it, then what's the point of continuing? So yeah . . . drop me a review or whatever. Give me your reaction to that.**

Thanks.


	8. Chapter Eight

***IMPORTANT* Authors Note: I really owe you guys a lot. Your reviews were very positive, so updating so quickly is my way of thanking you for being totally awesome and supportive. Now on to some other news that may be good or bad, depending on how you look at it . . .**

**Previously, I had the story planned out to be twenty chapters. I was thinking about it though, and reviewing the content I had planned, and I realized that I couldn't do it. It's not the lack of reviews or alerts or favorites, it's just that the story itself also gives me a tough time. I don't know why I didn't mention it last chapter, but I experience the worst writers block when it comes down to it, sort of like with my other story Magical Mayhem: Flight of the Halfbloods, which some of you may know is put on hold. I don't want it to come to that with this story, so basically I'm cutting five chapters off.**

**It'll now at chapter fifteen, and the last few chapters will seem -I promise- filled to the brim and jam packed with rush-ness. I just don't know what else to do. I took out some of the boring, filler stuff nobody really wants to read. Those were basically what the last six or so chapters were going to be anyway. **

**It's going to seem so rushed and I wish I didn't have to do this, but I can barely think when I sit down to write. I come to this wall and I can't get through. Doing this will allow me to push through that because I won't be really struggling to find things to write so that I can give you a good length chapter.**

**This story has so much potential and possibilities and I know I'm not going to give it due justice, but I hope you can forgive me for that . . .**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Eight**

I slammed my door shut with enough might to rattle the frame, crossing quickly to the window. I ripped back the curtain, staring petulantly out into the twilight. The last rays of sun had filtered from the atmosphere, cloaking the world in blackness.

Not a moment later I could hear the sound of the knob twisting, some outside force putting pressure on the door as it swung open slowly. My fury grew as I swung around, my mouth already forming the words to my shriek.

"I said leave me alone!" I screamed, clenching my fists at my sides as I glared in the general direction of the door.

Angel stepped back, seemingly frightened at my hostility. My face immediately softened, as my palms smoothed out, leaving small crescent shaped dents from my fingernails. I pressed my lips tightly together for a second before speaking again, my tone calm.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was you," I said honestly, beckoning for her to come forward. She did so, but hesitantly, as if afraid I was going to erupt once more. I bit back a sigh, patting the space beside me on my bed as I sat. She gingerly lowered herself down, never taking her eyes off me. I repeated that I was sorry, and she nodded, sliding closer.

"It's okay," she mumbled, clasping her little hands in her lap.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" I inquired, brushing a strand of her curly blond hair out of her eyes; tucking it behind her ear. This seemed to make her more comfortable.

"I'm scared," she admitted in a whisper, her blue eyes swimming with tears as she looked up at me. I closed my eyes briefly, before holding my arms out to her. She crawled onto my lap, even though she was already ten years old and much too big for such actions. I was more than okay with it. She was growing up too fast anyway.

"Scared?" I asked. "Why?"

"Is Fang really going to die?" She sniffled, clutching my torso like it was the only thing keeping her anchored. I couldn't help but gasp at her words, burying my face in her silky curls to gather my bearings.

"Angel . . ." I began, but found I was at a loss for words.

"Is he really . . ." here she stopped to think- "_embracing his own death_?"

"No, Ange. No, no, no," I answered quickly, stroking her hair. "I'm sorry for saying that. I was just mad."

"But Max, you tell the truth when you're mad," she insisted, hiccuping. I felt the wetness of her tears soak into my shirt, and I clutched her all the more tightly, hating myself for making her worry like this.

"Listen to me Angel, no matter what I might say, Fang is _not _going to die. Do you hear me? _He's not going to die_. He'd never let that happen. He cares too much about you to get hurt."

"He cares about you, too. More than anyone else," Angel announced somewhat proudly, still hiding her face in my chest. When she spoke those words though, she managed to raise her head, her swimming blue eyes locked with mine.

"Maybe," I replied shortly, not wanting to delve into that.

"He does," Angel hurried to say. "I hear him thinking sometimes, when he doesn't notice me. You're always on his mind. He thinks about how you're his whole world _all _the time."

"You shouldn't listen to people's thoughts Angel," I reprimanded her, although her news made my heart ache even more.

"I know," she said solemnly. "But it's just so romantic."

"And what would you know about romance?" I inquired, poking her in the side with a smile. She giggled in response, pecking me on the cheek as she did so.

"I know that you love each other. And I know that you're sad that Fang's leaving, and that sometimes you think you can't live without him." The smile slipped off my face as she began speaking seriously again. "I also know that you're more scared than any of us, even more than he is himself."

"You're probably right," I said in a hushed tone, staring off into space as the pang in my chest started up again.

"Everything will be okay, Max," she assured me, getting up to leave. I was momentarily confused at the sudden turn of events. Somehow we had gone from me consoling her crying, to _her _comforting _me_.

Where had the years gone? When had she gotten so grown up? She wasn't my little baby anymore, I realized with sudden clarity. There wasn't much more taking care of to be done. My use to the flock was wearing thin . . . and maybe that thought frightened me the most.

Dressing for bed I shoved those kinds of thoughts to the back of my mind. It wasn't the biggest of my problems. Besides, I had known the time would come sooner or later. It shouldn't be so surprising now that it had arrived.

I was just laying down, surrounded by the dark, comforting enclosure of night, when I was reminded of my fury towards Fang. Walking quietly to the door I slipped my fingers over the cool handle, feeling for the lock. Once it was in place I felt a sigh of what I forced myself to believe was relief emanate from me. For the time being I could be away from him.

I told myself I would stay up. That I would wait for him to come to me, just to find himself shut out completely. Maybe that would fully inform him of the sense of betrayal I felt. How wounded I truly was. Then he would be forced to trudge away with his head hung low in dejection. See how he would cope with feeling unwanted.

Sleep was calling to me though, beckoning insistently. I could only fight it for so long before I was completely gone, no time for even the soft drifting I was accustomed to. Instead I was launched fully into unconsciousness, and the nightmare lying in wait for me now that I didn't have any protection from it . . .

_Blood. Blood, blood, blood. Blood. So much blood. Blood, everywhere. Blood. Blood._

_Eyes. Eyes wide. Eyes deep. Eyes lifeless; black as night. Eyes that see to souls. Dead eyes._

_And then the blood. So, so much blood. Covering every surface in crimson. The blood . . . the blood._

_Mangled bodies. Torn bodies. Ripped to shreds and festering bodies. Broken bodies. Unmoving bodies. Unrecognizable bodies. Unbreathing bodies. Bleeding bodies._

_Blood, blood, blood, blood, blood. Blood. The blood. All the blood._

_Fear. Anguish. Dismay. Sorrow. Horror. Despair. Panic. Terror. Dread. Unease. Trepidation. Agony. Misery. Heartbreak. Grief. Torment. Suffering. Pain._

_And the blood. So much blood. Never ending blood. Continuing blood. Blood, blood, blood._

_Blood running. Blood streaming Blood dripping. Blood pouring. Blood coursing. Blood spurting. Blood cascading. Blood gushing. Blood spilling._

_Death. Death, death, death. Death as a shadow. Death hanging over all. Death encompassing everything. Death, death, death. Death. Death._

_And the blood runs on._

I jackknifed straight up, unable to breath. I tried to suck in air, but nothing was happening. My lungs weren't moving, weren't working properly. My vision was going cloudy, black spots dancing across my line of sight. My body was refusing oxygen.

Then I realized the sheets were wrapped around my throat, choking the life out of me. I clawed in panic at them, collapsing onto my back once I was free. Cool, sweet air flowed through me. An immense relief surged within me, yet I was unable to fully calm myself. The memory of my nighttime terror was still too fresh in my mind.

Unable to stand the solitude any longer, and knowing I wasn't going to get a wink of sleep otherwise, I clambered to my feet. I stopped there, taking a few more deep breaths. Instead of going immediately I strayed to the window, pressing my face to the cool glass as I stared at the night outside. Nothing seemed to disturb the peace from my perspective, but I knew whole separate lives were being lived under the cover of darkness; big and small.

My fingers scrabbling at the sill I lifted the window easily, letting it slide above me. Sticking my head out as far as it could I rested my elbows on the wood, closing my eyes as the soft breeze ruffled my hair. I breathed deeply the scent of night, letting my worries float away on the wind.

A sudden gurgling from my stomach startled me so much I jumped, unaware of my vast hunger until then. There was a dull ache in my stomach, begging for nourishment. Knowing I wasn't going back to sleep anyway I crept towards the kitchen, careful to keep my steps light. I didn't have to worry though, because Iggy himself was in front of the fridge, preparing a midnight snack for himself.

"What are you doing up so late?" I inquired as I plopped down at the counter, my voice a hushed whisper.

"I could ask you the same thing," he retorted, automatically getting twice as much material as he originally had.

I murmured a thanks before continuing on to say; "Very well then. I was just hungry, and thought I'd hunt down some food. Does that answer suffice?"

"Nope, because I can tell by your voice that something's wrong. You're stress tones are extremely high," he replied nonchalantly, sounding high and knowledgeable, as he made sandwiches with his long, lithe fingers.

"Stress tones?" I asked condescendingly, raising an eyebrow even though he couldn't see. He shot me an impish smile over his shoulder, and I rolled my eyes, chuckling despite myself.

"Yeah, that does sound absurd, doesn't it? Good thing I just made it up," he said jovially, before turning serious. "But really, what's wrong? I could hear you tossing and turning all the way down here."

I bit my lip, wondering how much information I should share. I didn't particularly like the idea of him knowing I was having nightmares, and that they actually frightened me beyond belief. Iggy didn't need to know such a weakness, even if I knew he would be totally understanding. Iggy was just like that. He knew when to be serious and when to make jokes, for the most part.

Striding to his side I snatched up two of the sandwiches he had made, stuffing half of one in my mouth before he could protest. Once I had chewed and swallowed I began walking towards the hall, whispering over my shoulder; "It's nothing. I'm just going to go back to bed now. Thanks, Igs."

I turned away quickly, upon seeing his mouth open, words forming. I didn't want to answer his questions at the moment.

By the time I made it back upstairs I had polished the rest of my food off, and was contemplating my options. The rising fear of having another one of those nightmares over weighed the rest, though, so I begrudgingly made my way to his door.

Peering in I found him very much awake, staring at the ceiling with his hands propped up behind his head. I stood uncertainly in the doorway for a moment, waiting for him to say something. He didn't acknowledge that he noticed me though, so I cautiously crept inside. His gaze didn't stray from its fascination above, so I figured he was making no objection.

I crawled across the bed, sliding underneath the covers. Without hesitating I gently laid my head on his bare chest, laying my arm across his warm torso. Not a second later his arms wrapped around me tightly.

We didn't speak. Not one word. He never opened his mouth, and neither did I. For the time being, silence was so much better.

**Authors Note: What did you think of the nightmare? I know it was a bit . . . obscure. Not like anything I've really written before. Here's a thought! In your review, give me the first word that came to your mind after you read the nightmare. Pretty please? If not, review anyway.**


	9. Chapter Nine

**Authors Note: I don't know what else there is for me to say. I'm still sorry. I know it seems, at least to me even, that I'm giving up on this story by not writing it out the way I had originally wanted, or giving it its full potential. I could go on and try to explain why, but for this one, I think you'll just have to feel it yourself to know. Hopefully you never will. I just . . . I can't wait for this to be done and over with, and to me that isn't good. I should enjoy working on a story . . . but I don't. Not for this.**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Nine**

Tensions stayed mounted the next few weeks. Fang and I adopted a strange routine. We fought constantly, though nothing too dramatic, over his decision. All would be appeased by the next morning . . . until we were launched into another round.

It was usually small things. He'd slip up and mention something about it to me, and I'd shut down completely. We argued and we battled, but each night we slept in the others arms. It was the only comfort we had for the date looming ahead.

And looming it was. Days passed uneventfully, bringing us closer to his departure. I wanted to scream and wail until he promised never to go, but it seemed that his mind was truly made up. There was no turning around. He was going, regardless of the repercussions it may cause. He saw it as a commitment he had made, and he wasn't about to break it just because my heart was shattering. That didn't seem to matter to him.

Fang was going off to war.

The statement didn't seem plausible to me. He was a good guy; the best I knew . . . but I could never picture him 'fighting for freedom'. It just wasn't sociable. Did that make me a bad person?

. . . Well, yes, I guess I was absolutely rotten. I was the least supportive, most nasty, wicked human being in the world at the moment. Even the wacky whitecoats from the School couldn't compare for the time being. I was taking something noble and twisting it into a place where _he _was the bad guy and I was the one feeling all the blows.

Yet I still couldn't bring myself to forgive him.

"Everybody ready?" I yelled as I stood by the front door, waiting impatiently. We were running late, as per usual.

"Just relax," someone whispered in my ear, placing comforting hands on my shoulders; rubbing the skin there. "Do you think your Mom is going to flip when we show up five minutes late?"

"I . . . Whatever," I mumbled crossly, leaning into him even as he spun me around to face him.

"It's okay. You can say it. 'Fang, you were right'. It's not that hard," Fang said, his obsidian eyes glinting with amusement. I suppressed a smile, rolling my eyes.

"That wasn't quite what I had in mind," I retorted easily, grinning cockily up at him. He brushed his thumb down my jaw, tilting my mouth towards him. Shaking his head he pressed his lips to mine gently, but with more pressure each second that passed. When we finally parted my fingers were twisted in his dark hair, his hands tracing tantalizing shapes down my spine.

"That either," I said with a smirk, which he mirrored, "but I can't say I mind."

He was just leaning down again when a voice interrupted us, sounding deeply disturbed. "Could you not suck face in front of me again?" Gazzy demanded, looking sickened.

I suddenly missed the time when I could say, 'You'll understand one day'. Now, at age twelve, Gazzy was quite the ladies man among his peers. I even heard him tell Iggy he kissed a girl, though that may not have been true. He often liked to stretch the truth. These collective thoughts had me turning away to hide my frown.

"Let's get the others and go," I said in a small, wilted voice; though I tried to hide it the best I could. Gazzy seemed oblivious, scampering off right away, hollering Iggy's name at the top of his lungs. I could hear him even as he moved deeper into the house, still yelling.

"They all have to grow up sometime," Fang murmured, knowing -as always- exactly what was on my mind. How was I going to cope with things if he wasn't there to tell me what I was really feeling?

I shot him a hard, guarded glare before turning my head away once more. "Go drag Nudge from the bathroom and let's go," I said acidly, making sure my back was facing him as I spoke.

There was the sound of the briefest, almost imperceptible sigh. "Max-"

"Just go. Don't ruin the day any more than you already have," I demanded, my voice riddled with unnecessary harshness. I stared sadly out the glass door, gazing through the thick trees as the crunching gravel wound its way through, though we didn't have a car. It was more there for Mom and Ella. Nobody else dared to come out this far.

"What did I even do?" Fang asked angrily, gripping my forearm with enough strength that it hurt. His frustration was building, twisting through his usually calm, emotionless mask.

I opened my mouth to give a snarky comeback in reply, when the sound of dainty feet pattered down the hall towards us, and Angel appeared; a heavenly smile on her face. She was followed shortly thereafter by Iggy and Gazzy, who had a protesting Nudge locked between them.

"All ready," Iggy crowed cheerfully, yanking Nudge upright as she tried to escape his grip. He seemed oblivious to the tension between Fang and I, as he took a step away from me, releasing my arm.

"No we're not!" Nudge cried vehemently, stomping her foot. "I didn't get to finish my hair! Look at it. It's atrocious. It looks like I just crawled out of bed and went 'hey, I think I'll look like a dirty hobo today,' which is _not _cool. Like at all. What if I see somebody I know? I have acquaintances on Dr. M's street you know! Omg, what if _he _sees me? He's never going to want to speak to me again! Oh, this is terrible. I-"

"Nudge, you look fine. Shut up now," I ordered, rolling my eyes at her unnecessary drama.

"But Max," she pleaded. "All I need is, like, another five- ten minutes. Tops."

"Let's go, Nudge," I said emphatically, pushing through the door and motioning for her jailers to haul her over the threshold.

Nudge, as anticipated, complained the whole fly there, and we, as expected, ignored her every word. I flew the front in silence, glancing back occasionally to make sure everybody was holding up okay. Fang's gaze never left my back, a heated pressure zoned in on me specifically. I fought the urge to scream at him, knowing we had to remain normal for Mom. We could argue later. She didn't need to know the depth of our troubles just yet.

In reality, I just didn't want her to think less of me because of my refusal to approve of Fang's decision.

Soon we were closing in on town, passing the small strip mall and tiny rest stop for wayward travelers. We were up so high that the people below would think us only regular birds, wheeling through the sky in a tight formation. They had no reason to think otherwise, after all. They were ignorant to the evils that really went on in this world.

As we moved on, so did my thoughts; morphing into different observations as we glided on the warm air currents. Here was the spot I had first met Ella, and there about where I was shot by those idiots with guns.

I was still immersed in memories when we landed in the small woods outside Mom's house, reliving parts of my past for reasons unknown to me. As we descended all movement in the undergrowth ceased, a bird call cutting off mid-chirp. Only when we moved out into the open expanse of the backyard did life resume amongst the trees once more.

I ushered everybody inside, shooting Nudge a warning glare at her sullen look. She rolled her eyes before plastering on a bright, happy smile, cocking her eyebrow at me as if to say; 'Here, is that good enough for you?'

Once everybody was inside I shut the door tightly behind me, before joining everyone in the kitchen. Mom was at the stove, stirring a pot of sauce. She gave me a small smile, which I returned gratefully.

"Iggy, get your butt over here and finish the pasta," she ordered mock-sternly. He quickly complied, taking the handle and draining the water at the sink with efficient ease. He knew Mom's kitchen just as well as our own. When they picked up their light, easy banter I exited the room, knowing I wouldn't understand half of what they were talking about. Them and their food talk.

When I went into the living room I found Ella and Nudge in a deep, heated discussion in the corner, whispering furiously. Ella had an aghast expression on her face, nodding raptly along with everything Nudge said. Though Ella wasn't nearly as girly and cliche as Nudge was most of the time, she still had her teenage-ness. She just happened to be a bit more serious.

Gazzy was glued to the television, Angel curled up on the couch beside him. They flipped through the channels, arguing over what program to watch. I snatched the remote from their collective, tugging grasps, shaking my head as they stared open-mouthed up at me.

"It can go off," I suggested, my finger lingering over the 'off' button. Gazzy's eyes were popping out of his head, a vehement disagreement on his lips. He whipped his head back and forth, his mouth turned down in a silent plea.

"Tell Gazzy it's my turn then," Angel whined, motioning to the screen.

"Nu-huh!" Gazzy retorted condescendingly. "You were watching your show before we left. It's my turn."

"_Ma-ax_," Angel insisted, dragging out my name as she spoke. She turned the full force of her baby blue eyes on me, lower lip quivering. I mentally snorted. Yeah right.

They continued to argue with each other, hands flailing. When Angel was a centimeter from socking her brother right in the eye I decided it was probably past time for me to intervene.

"Hi, hey, hello," I shouted, gaining their attention. "This is me, not caring. Figure something out within the next two minutes, without anyone physical or _mental _force," I said pointedly, glaring at Angel, who smiled angelically up at me, "or the TV will be mine. Got it?"

"Fine," Gazzy muttered, crossing his arms across his chest. Angel complied as well, heaving a melodramatic sigh. Sometimes she had her moments in which I'm afraid she'll take after Nudge more than I'd ever wish.

"You handled that well, _Mom_," Fang said from behind me. I turned to glare at him frostily, examining the way he leaned casually against the wall, his arms tucked neatly across his chest.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded, resting my hands on my hips. I took a step away from everyone else, so they couldn't hear our conversation. He leaned forward as well, shoving off the wall.

"Chill," he ordered, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. I shook it back out, just to annoy him, but he didn't let on that he noticed.

I had just opened my mouth to retort, when I was interrupted by Mom's call from the kitchen. Giving a huff I turned away, proceeding towards the sound of her voice. Fang followed closely behind, the arrogant smirk still in place. Now I was the one in danger of punching somebody. Namely him.

I tried to get a hold on my anger, letting it simmer dangerously under the surface. Taking a deep breath as I sat down at the table, I plastered on a fake smile, nodding at Ella across from me. She returned it quickly, saying something about school starting. I grasped at the opportunity, launching into a discussion with her. That way I wouldn't be obliged to speak to Fang, who was sitting so close to me his elbow brushed mine.

Once we started eating most chatter ceased, the only sound being the scrapes of forks as we shoveled down our food. After we had gone for seconds and were mostly finished Mom spoke up, directing her words at Fang.

"So you leave in two days, right?" she asked, giving him a wane smile. I froze with my fork halfway raised, swallowing thickly over the contents of my mouth. Two days? Was it really so soon?

"Yeah," he replied, after a short pause in which I'm sure he was watching me and my less than enthusiastic reaction.

Slowly I lowered my fork, setting it down neatly. I pushed my plate back slightly, suddenly feeling like I would be sick if I ate another bite. My throat seemed swollen, making it hard to breath. The air was thick and stuffy; suffocating.

"You must be excited," she prodded, seemingly oblivious to my discomfort. Fang put his hand over mine, squeezing it gently. I glared down at the table, wishing I was anywhere but here.

"I guess," he said with a shrug, which I knew wasn't true. He _was _excited. At least that much was painfully obvious. He was trying to spare me though, at least this one time.

"I would be excited," Gazzy piped up, grinning. "I think it's really cool."

I winced inwardly, feeling my breathing pick up in speed. My skin prickled, and the deep ache that was always present in my chest intensified at Gazzy's jubilant claim.

"You must be proud then." _Of course he is_. "We all are." _Excluding me_.

"Totally. It's amazing! Being in the army would be so awesome. You get to mess around with guns and bombs all day. It'd be wicked!" Gazzy exclaimed, jumping up from his chair to prove his point, and almost knocking over his dinner in the process.

I was too busy trying not to break down right then and there to reprimand him.

**Authors Note: Review even though this sucks?**


	10. Chapter Ten

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Ten**

"Can you help me with dinner?"

_What?_

"Uh, sure Ig," I answered warily. Obviously something was up. Since when did anyone voluntarily want me in the kitchen, preparing food? Especially Iggy. He always made fun of me for how bad a cook I was. It was inevitable though. I had yet to master even making toast, or rather something that wasn't so burnt it was actually recognizable. I just didn't have the patience for it all.

I followed his voice to the counter anyway, standing reluctantly at his side.

"Just peel the potatoes right there, then chop them up," he ordered, his cloudy blue eyes intent on a spot just above my left eyebrow. His long, careful fingers ghosted across the cutting board, feeling for the proper utensils, to make sure I had everything I needed.

"Are you sure?" I asked hesitatantly. I really didn't want to screw this meal up . . . His last one. The thought made me quiver, a pang fluttering in my chest.

Iggy smiled ruefully. "It'll be pretty hard for you to mess this one up, Max. There's not much room for disaster, that is unless you cut your finger off or something."

"Thanks," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes as I picked up the knife. "I feel so much better now."

He shook his head, smiling still as he turned back to the stove. I watched him for a moment, fiddling with the many dials until he had the burner just right. Ignorant to my stare he stepped back, seemingly satisfied with the temperature. He then moved easily to one of the cupboards, searching inside until he found the bowl he was looking for. When he set it down beside me I blinked for a moment, then turned back to the counter, realizing I hadn't started a thing.

We worked in companionable silence; him and I. There was nothing to be heard but the sounds of bubbling coming from the boiling water on the stove, and the scratching made from peeling the potatoes. He moved with grace, in a flurry of activity around the kitchen, smiling secretly to himself as he went. He accomplished ten times more than me in the span of a few minutes, but he didn't seem to mind my slow pace. Instead he joined me, the sound of his knife as he cut the potatoes as soon as I was finished with them beating along in quick succession with mine.

It was actually kind of peaceful, which was far from the norm these days. It liked it. A lot.

"This isn't so bad, is it?" Iggy inquired, grinning at me as he continued to chop away; somehow catching on to my train of thought.

"I guess not," I replied truthfully, nudging his shoulder. He chuckled to himself, dumping the contents of our bowl into the water. I joined in his laughter, for no reason at all other than the fact that it felt too good not to.

This was how it should always be. Unfortunately, all too soon it was going to be completely ruined.

"Are my services here finished?" I asked once our hysterics had subsided and we were launched into silence once more.

"I suppose . . . Or you could make salad. I don't think you could possibly screw that up. It involves more preparation than it does actual cooking, so you should be fine," he suggested.

"Okay," I agreeed, probably more quickly than he anticipated. Being in the kitchen was never my forte. That was always his domain. It was strange that he was asking me to help all of a sudden . . .

Yet, really, when I thought about it, not strange or sudden at all. With striking clarity I realized, as I stopped mid-reach for the refigeratior handle, what he was doing. He had percieved what a wreck I was over Fang's departure. He knew I was tearing myself up inside, maybe all along. Now he was trying to distract me, trying to find a place for me to belong now that Fang was soon to be gone.

The thought angered me even though I knew his intentions were nothing but good. I didn't need to be taken care of. I never did. I would handle this by myself, with no help from anybody else. I was supposed to be the one holding them up, not vice versa.

"Actually, I think I'm going to take a quick shower before dinner. You can make the salad," I said hurriedly, clenching my teeth. He looked up in surprise, a question clear in his eyes.

"Wha-?" he began, gingerly setting down the spoon he had been using to stir whatever else was simmering on the stove.

I spun on my heel and left before he could finish, running a frustrated hand through my hair. It seemed of the late that I had no control over my volatile emotions, and I was taking it out on everybody, even if they didn't deserve it. This whole ordeal was driving me up the wall, level ground nowhere in sight.

Practically sprinting to my room, and feeling like I needed an escape, I nearly toppled headlong into Fang, who was descending the stairs at his quick, but silent, pace.

"What's up?" he asked cautiously, raising an eyebrow as he steadied me by the shoulders. His calmness only fueled my rage. How could he act so indifferent? Tomorrow at this time he would be _gone_. Did he not care at all?

I shook my head, roughly shoving past him. For once he seemed content not to pursue me, and I made it to my room without being followed. It took all my impressive self control not to slam the door with all the force I had. Instead I let it click shut gently, before crumpling to my knees with my back supported by it. Dropping my head into my hands I let out a frustrated growl, tugging at my hair. The pain was enough to remind me that this wasn't all just a bad dream.

I hadn't cried so far. Not yet. The tears were pricking at my eyes now, though- an imperceptible threat. They burned gloatingly, another reminder of my heartache. Everything that was going so perfectly right before was quickly tunneling downhill, and I was the only one left at the crossroads, trying in vain to find some common ground.

Rubbing at my itching eyes I diminshed any signs of such weakness, taking deep breaths to swallow down the lump in my throat. Quickly crossing to the bathroom I stripped of my confining clothing, shivering naked as I twisted the knob, waiting for the water to gush forth. Not pausing for it to warm I stepped into the icy spray, goosebumps jumping to life all across my flesh.

I stood with the screen shut tight beside me, letting the freezing water rain all around me. I lifted my face to the ceiling, closing my eyes and just relishing in the feeling. Any feeling other than the numb ache in my chest.

Eventually the chill waned, morphing into a scalding heat that blistered my skin with its intensity. I bit my lip to hold back a shriek, not moving and granting my body some peace. When it finally seemed like I couldn't take anymore, and the steam swirling through the air was suffocating enough to make me choke, my fingers leniently shut off the liquid, leaving nothing but empty air in its place.

I stayed there for who knows how long; far past the time the chill crept up on me again, and my whole body shook and quviered with the coldness it brought. It seemed like ages before I was able to move my frigid, locked limbs once more.

Somehow I was able to accomplish it though, and was soon re-dressed and brushing my hair out; battling with the knots. Once it was smoothed back I tied it behind my head, abhoring the feeling of its weight on my back. The sweet, moutherwatering smells coming from downstairs were enough to draw me from my enclosure, though; back to civilization and the biting grip of reality.

I entered the kitchen just as Nudge did, looking a bit forlorn. It was then that I realized maybe we all were feeling the same sadness. We were just expressing it in different ways.

"Finally," Gazzy groaned from where he was seated at the table, bent forward in anticipation. I smirked as I took my seat, shaking my head at the way he practically leaped for the many dishes, scooping out large helpings onto his plate.

"Don't take it all," I warned him, gently easing a bowl from his hands. He smiled sheepishly, his spine colliding with the back of his chair.

After that it was like any other normal dinner. The others joked and laughed, poking fun at each others expense. Nothing was different, yet I found myself more lonely and isolated than ever before. This was Fang's last meal with us before he left. At least that's what he thought, because I still fully intended for him not to go at all. I wouldn't stop convincing him until the last minute. I was nothing if not stubborn, after all.

Thankfully no one spoke a word of his impending departure. The subject wasn't even broached by Gazzy, who was by far the most excited of all. We just had a regular family dinner. Nice. Peaceful.

While the thoughts racing through my mind were anything but.

"Who has dishes?" I asked once everyone was finished, scraping the last bit of food off their plates. We had been taught growing up to never waste anything, and the habit had stuck with us.

"Not me!" Gazzy claimed hurriedly, scrambling to his feet.

"It is too your turn!" Nudge insisted, grabbing him by the collar and dragging him back to the table. "We're stuck with it today, Gaz. I'll wash, you dry."

He complied, albeit a bit reluctantly, grumbling to himself as he piled the dishes in his hands. I rolled my eyes, laughing. He shot me a glare that clearly said exactly what he thought about his duty. This only made me laugh harder as I left the room, heading for the stairs.

When I reached the top I found I was at a dilemma. Go to Fang or let him come to me?

Eventually the stronger side of me won out; the part that wanted to be with Fang for as long as possible. Without giving it another thought I advanced towards his door, pausing briefly before entering.

He glanced up from where he had been seated on his bed in surprise, coming to his feet as I approached. We stared at each other wordlessly, his gaze penetrating and emotionless as ever.

By some unspoken agreement we stepped towards each other, closing the small distance between us. My hands became lost in his silky black hair, as he gripped my waist; making my shirt ride up. His fingers brushed against my bare skin, sending a shockwave of tingles up my spine. I shivered as our lips met, hungry with a burning desire.

His lips seemed to mold to mine perfectly as we twisted our heads this way and that, trying in vain to get closer to each other, even though in reality we were growing farther and farther apart. His mouth crushed aginst my own, our bodies pressed together as tightly as possible. There was nothing in the world that could drag me away from this moment and him.

Finally we parted, breathing heavily; our limbs like jelly. His lips left my skin only briefly as they traveled the expanse of my jaw, his breath hot on my fiery flesh. My own hands wandered down his back, then up and over his chest, slipping between his shirt. He shuddered at the contact, making me smile as I lazily moved my palm over his toned abs.

We kissed again, his mouth returning to my own. I reveled in the feeling, locking my hands around his neck once more. It was passionate . . . which was one word I'd thought I'd never associate with Fang. He just wasn't the 'passionate' sort of guy. But this . . . this was heavy stuff. And I loved every second of it.

The heat eventually subsided, replaced by a tenderness I wasn't usually accustomed to. Then there came the time when we pulled apart indefinitely, content with just holding each other. I rested my head on his shoulder, turning my face into his neck. We rocked back and forth there, almost dancing in nothing but the enveloping silence.

"I'm going to miss you," he whispered, his arms tightening around me as he spoke. My breath hitched, as the full force of the situation hit me. Fang was leaving. _Tomorrow_. And it was up to me to stop him.

"I'm going to miss you, too," I breathed, swallowing thickly. Tears blurred my vision, and this time I couldn't hold them back.

"Shh," he murmured, stroking my hair. "Don't cry Max. Please don't cry.

"How can I not cry?" I demanded, hiccuping slightly. "You're leaving. You're leaving me."

"It'll be fine. You'll be fine," he insisted softly.

"I'm not even going to recognize you. Once they get ahold of you you won't be mine anymore. Horrible things will happen. They'll cut off all your hair for God's sake!" I didn't really see how that hardly mattered, but even that -as small as it was- still frightened me.

"I'll always be yours, Max. Always. No matter how short my hair is." Was he really trying to make jokes?

"You promised though!" I cried, shoving away from him. He stumbled back, surprised at my sudden movement. "You promised Fang."

"What?" he asked in confusion, reaching out for me again. I took a step back, shaking my head furiously.

"You can't go. Don't you see? You _can't_. You promised you'd never leave me again! _You promised_."

His face looked ashen, an irregular show of such strong emotion. He opened and closed his mouth again and again, searching for the words that would appease my qualms. In the end all he could settle on was; "I'm sorry." Futile. Useless.

The tears contined heavily now, racing in a torrent down my face. I stared up at him through a fractured and blurry vision, wishing we could go back to before all this started. Before my whole world was ruptured and falling apart.

"No you're not," I whispered, crushed.

"Max-"

I turned before he could say anything else, running from the room as the last bit of my heart still waiting for him shattered to pieces.

**Authors Note: Uh . . . yeah. Review? I know they seemed to be having the same arguement over and over again . . . but that was the last one.**


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Authors Note: So someone left an anonymous review (which I really wished they hadn't, because I totally respect anyone that actually has the nerve to say something negative about a story. I'm usually that person anyway, so it would be stupid for me to get mad at someone for saying something bad) saying I should make Max tougher and less pathetic. Which I totally get. It's hard trying to keep Max in character though, while having her feel these things. She can't just be stoic about it all. Then there really wouldn't be a story.**

**It's made a point though, I believe in the past, and definitely in future chapters I know for sure, that she recognizes that she's changed. That's what time and having a stable household can do for you. So I'm sorry if you feel that way, but it can't really change, or else there really isn't a story.**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Eleven**

I pressed my eyes tightly together, vainly believing if I did so I could consequentially block out reality as well. It had a way of creeping up on you regardless though, no matter what ends you went to to evade it. Groaning I burrowed deeper into my pillow, yanking the blanket over my head. The darkness there seemed so much more whole, soft cotton filling my mouth and ears. I longed for the fuzzy feeling of sleep to take over.

I could only take so much of nothing, though, and soon found myself rolling out of bed; my feet colliding with the plush carpet. I rubbed my eyes tiredly, feeling a weight on my shoulders that was only half of the pressure in my chest, moaning for release. My eyes felt swollen and irritated, no doubt due to my excessive crying from the night before. Not to mention my dreams; haunted by his apologies that meant nothing. They were just empty promises, made on a whim he probably never intended on keeping.

That didn't make it hurt any less.

Shuffling lazily to the door I hesitated, the cool touch of the knob under my hand sparking a thought in my mind. I calculated the odds of him being there, somewhere just around the corner. I couldn't face him. Not now. Emotionally I couldn't stand the blow just seeing him would deliver.

Quietly I eased the door open, poking my head into the hallway. Glancing reflexively towards his domain I saw a film of light coming from under his door, while it itself was shut up tight. Breathing a sigh of relief I crept to the stairs, sliding down them with ease. I was safe for the time being.

When I passed by the living room the TV was off, not a whisper coming from inside. This was odd, considering at least Gazzy was usually up, watching cartoons with a fascination I would never understand, as Angel battled for the remote just for the sake of starting an argument. Padding further down the hall I detected faint murmurs coming from the kitchen, the hardwood cool on my bare feet. Not realizing my actions, I had unconsciously began trailing my fingers along the wall beside me; a habit I had picked up from Iggy, though it didn't have much of a purpose for me.

Upon entering I was dismayed to find no food cooking just yet, a rumbling in my stomach justifying my motivation. With my brow furrowed I stared over at the table, where Iggy and Nudge were seated; detachedly speaking in quiet undertones.

"Morning," I said by way of greeting, nodding in their direction. Iggy lifted a negligent hand, not looking my way; whereas Nudge perked up instantly, shooting me a blazing smile, her brilliant white teeth sparkling. I raised an eyebrow, immediately pausing. Something was obviously up. Sighing, I addressed the overly-attentive fifteen year old.

"What do you want?"

She gave me an innocently humble look, her eyes wide and her mouth slack in surprise. "What do you mean? Can't a girl smile every once in awhile without wanting something?"

"Yes, girls can. You, on the other hand, not so much." I folded my arms across my chest, taking up a defiant stance. I had a feeling this was going to be a good one.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she scoffed, tossing her curls haughtily over her shoulder. She sniffed disdainfully, placing her hands in her lap; interlocking her fingers. She squared her shoulders, facing me full on.

"Look, just ask whatever you want to ask," I said crossly, rolling my eyes. "I'm not in the mood."

Nudge was awfully silent for a few moments, the intolerable ticking of the clock in the background gauging out the time in quick succession. She seemed to be deep in though, assessing her chances.

"I was thinking-" she began finally, giving me another demure smile, before Iggy interrupted her.

"Well that's a first," he crowed, grinning impishly, a devilish look in his cloudy eyes. Nudge shot him a hair raising glare, which was a wasted effort on the blind pyro, seeing as he just kept smiling and smiling.

"_Iggy_," I reprimanded him, biting my lip to hold in my own laugh at his immaturity, as well as Nudge's reaction. I fought to keep my composure, focusing on using a stern tone.

"As I was saying," Nudge said emphatically. "I was thinking that, if it's alright with you, because of course I would ask you first, because not asking would be wrong and untrustworthy and all, and I think I've proved I can be trusted; that maybe I could, possibly, go to the movies. A bunch of my friends from school are going, and they invited me, so really it would be rude not to go. Just saying. Plus, I would be back in time to see Fang off too. I would _never _miss that. I swear!"

I gritted my teeth, my jaw clenched tightly.

"Yeah, whatever. You can go," I muttered, turning to face the window; my back to them. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, forbidden tears burning behind the lids at her no so subtle reminder of the very event I was dreading the most.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! You're the best EVER Max! I'll love you for the rest of eternity," Nudge squealed in delight, hugging me around the waist. I patted her hand, smiling despite myself. Teenagers. _Jeez_.

She was just flouncing out of the room when she suddenly turned, remembering something. "Oh, and you owe me twenty bucks Ig!"

Iggy grumbled under his breath; something that suspiciously sounded like 'dammit', though I'm sure I must have heard wrong, because Iggy was the perfect gentleman, and would never say such things. He angrily ran a hand through his hair, glaring at me forcefully.

"Thanks a lot Max!"

"I do what I can," I replied with a mockingly indifferent shrug, though he couldn't see the gesture. He seemed to sense it well enough though, because his eyes narrowed further.

"Anyway," I said, changing the subject. "When's breakfast?"

"Whenever the prince decides to get his butt down here to tell me what he wants. Apparently since he's leaving, we have to treat him like he's God. It hasn't even started and I'm already sick of it," Iggy complained, lounging back in his chair.

I had to clamp down on the inside of my cheek to refrain from saying something horrible about Fang, the knowledge that he was leaving later burning a hole in my heart.

"I'm going out for awhile," I said suddenly, already reaching for my jacket. "Don't wait around for me. I don't know when I'll be back."

Iggy gave me a peculiar look. "Wait a minute, where are you-?"

"Bye!" I shouted as I exited as quickly as I could, dodging his inquiries. I slipped my shoes on at the door, allowing the screen to bang shut behind me, listening to it clatter and rattle back into place.

Then I was off, running to the edge of the porch. I stretched my wings out behind my back, feeling a slight tickling sensation as the air rustled the feathers; lifting me into the sky. I spiraled above the treetops, not once looking down. Closing my eyes I breathed in the crisp morning air, letting the weightlessness of flying take over all my other senses. It was easier to block out unwanted emotions that way.

Not paying any attention to direction I drifted through the vast sea of sky, joined by birds curious as to what sort of creature I was exactly every once in awhile. Apparently my thought process was connected to my stomach, though, because I found myself steering towards town. With a rumbling that resounded in my abdomen I landed in a copse of trees just on the outskirts of the small strip mall, shoving my hands deep in my pockets as I slipped unobtrusively onto the sidewalk.

The few people about so early in the morning ignored me for the most part, and each other. Those I was more acquainted with smiled and waved, and I returned the gesture halfheartedly. Despite the cool weather and brilliant sunshine, I couldn't help the pang of sorrow reverberating in my chest. Today wasn't a good day. Not at all. It almost seemed like nature was mocking my despair.

I browsed the few shop windows as I walked along, my destination clear as my feet unconsciously followed the path. It wasn't until I had slowed considerably at the delicious smell, did I realize what my subconscious intent had been all along. Pushing through the door a puff of warm air wafted over me, the scent of pancakes, eggs and sizzling bacon smothering my senses.

Heaven.

My feet scuffed on the polished, streaked checkered tile as I wandered to the back of the restaurant, sliding into a corner booth; the worn leather smooth and crackling beneath my fingertips. The familiarity of the diner was refreshing to my battered emotions, considering the damage they had recently taken. Ignoring the menu placed between the bright yellow and red bottles of ketchup and mustard I spun the salt shaker between my fingers, waiting for someone to approach.

"Well if I ain't ever seen such a long face," crowed a voice heavy with a thick Southern drawl. A smile passed my lips; immediate and instinctively. I glanced up at the robust waitress, whose grinning eyes and tactful smile made even the most depressed person feel on top of the world.

"Dina!" I exclaimed. The soft folds of her weathered face creased further as her teeth flashed bright; her thin, course gray hair tied into a bun on her head.

"If it isn't that Miss Maximum Ride," she said heartily, pronouncing my name Max-_ee_-mum. "S'been a long time coming darling. Tell me, what's been keeping you afoot?"

"I'm sorry," I apologized instantly, feeling ashamed. "Some things have come up and . . . It's just . . . Not good." My mind instantly flashed to Fang, a frown pulling the corners of my mouth down.

"If that's got anything to do with that mighty frown of yours, I'd be bettin' the same," she said sympathetically, her blue eyes shining. "Now tell me darling, what's eatin' ya?"

I swallowed thickly, my eyes burning at her kindness. If anyone, I trusted her not to judge me too harshly.

"Do you think it's selfish for someone to object fully to another's decision, even though they had good intentions?" I inquired, squirming restlessly as my fingers thrummed on the tabletop.

"Could this all be pertaining to a certain almost-soldier?" Dina asked, smiling sadly at me now.

I nodded, not questioning how she knew. That was just Dina. There wasn't a thing you could hide.

"Now darling, I'm gonna give you my one philosophy when it comes to love, because if by golly there's ever been a' two more so than you and that dark young man of yours I'll be damned if I've ever seen 'em. And that's simply; love and war can blind us. It can tear us apart and put us through hell or high water. No doubt we're gonna cry, and scream, and put up a fuss. In the end though, it's only the truest of true love that can overcome that war, and unite the separated once more. Does that make any inkling a' sense?"

I vaguely recall nodding my assent, while my mind was still caught up on her words. Never in them was there mentioned the betrayal I felt at Fang's decision, or the full depth of my pain. What about the constant ache in my chest? What about how stupid I felt for believing in him . . . in the promises he had made?

What about all _that_?

**Third Person POV**

The louder chatter and noise, along with the oppressing amount of people, was really starting to ride on Fang's nerves, which were already so frazzled he thought he might snap. The people pressed in from all sides, bumping and jostling one another as they shared their last goodbyes.

"Dude, I can't say I'm going to miss you busting all my plans . . . but I'm going to miss you. Indirectly, of course," Iggy chortled, slapping Fang on the back as he grinned.

"I can't say I'm going to miss your obnoxiousness either," Fang said dryly, returning the gesture as he thumped Iggy on the back with enough force to make him stumble slightly. He righted himself quickly, mock-glaring in Fang's general direction.

"I'm going to miss every part of you," Angel mumbled, staring at her shoes as she spoke. Her hands were clasped in front of her, her fingers intertwined. She refused to meet anyone's eyes, a tell-tale sniffle escaping her every once in awhile.

Fang suppressed a weary sigh, crouching down in front of the ten year old. "It's going to be okay, Angel. I promise," he said soothingly, wiping away a dirty tear.

"How do you know?" Her lower lip quivered as she turned her ashen blue eyes on him.

"Have I ever lied to you?" he retorted, raising an eyebrow. She shook her head slowly after a pause, her teeth wearing a hole in her lip as she gnawed at the flesh there.

"I'm going to miss you, too!" Gazzy piped up, returning his gaze to Fang; whom he looked up to so much now. He thought it would be _epic _to be a real live solider. Not just playing one in a video game. Obviously, he now realized it wasn't the same. Of course it would be close to the past, but with weapons this time. Glorious, glorious weapons, which was _so _much cooler than hand-to-hand combat, in his opinion.

A corner of Fang's mouth quirked up as he ruffled the Gasman's hair; Gazzy ducking out of his reach with an exuberant laugh. It wasn't long before his attention had roamed elsewhere, though; examining the others in their uniforms.

Nudge turned to him next, smiling weakly. Her eyes were watery, and when she opened her mouth -for once- nothing came out. She seemed incapable of speech. She stood there, like a gaping fish, for another moment before finally snapping her mouth shut and shrugging meekly. She had nothing to add.

"Is Max here yet?" Iggy asked after a long stretch of silence, voicing the one thing they had all been wondering.

"No," Nudge replied miserably, then added on quickly with a brief look at Fang; "But I'm sure she will be soon."

Another aching silence overtook them, no one offering any more consolations. They didn't know what else to say. Nothing could make the situation any better. Yet still time commenced, as the crowd dispersed; becoming thinner and thinner.

"Maybe I should call her?" Nudge offered, already reaching for her cell phone. Fang nodded, watching intently as she dialed Max's familiar number. He suddenly found the investment in such technology brilliant.

After what seemed like forever Max finally answered, Nudge perking up instantly.

"Max, where _are _you? You're like super late, and Fang has to go soon, and you're not here yet. Well, _obviously_. But still, _where are you_?" Nudge demanded, the words flying from her mouth in one jumble.

Nudge's brow furrowed as Max spoke, and then; "What do you mean you're-! . . . But Max-! . . . You can't honestly do thi- . . . Max? _Helloooo_? _Max_!"

"What's going on?" Fang inquired, his voice carefully devoid of emotion. "Where is she?"

With jerky movements Nudge disconnected the call, pocketing the phone. When she met Fang's eyes the remorse there was enough for him. He _knew_. But he needed to hear her confirm it anyway.

"I'm so sorry, Fang . . ." she murmured, sounding crushed.

"Where is she?" he repeated, this time with more force, as the truth hit him square in the chest.

"She's not coming."

**Authors Note: And I'm pretty positive you'll have something to say about all that . . . in a review. Please?**


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Authors Note: I was going to post this yesterday, but seeing as FF kind of didn't want to let me, it didn't happen. For some reason the site wouldn't load. Dang it :(**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Twelve**

_Picture perfect darkness enveloped me in its warm cocoon, smothering me in the blackness and submerging me even deeper into nothingness. I was floating in the tranquil waters of night, drifting through in flawless isolation; undisturbed sedation._

_All too soon that was gone, replaced by sensations that slowly crept back into me. I could suddenly feel the cold on my fingertips, icy and numbing. Then my ears began ringing, deaf no longer to the whirring in the air. The strong metallic smell filtered from the atmosphere, laying thickly on my tongue and in my nose. Lastly the dark began to recede, shapes and identifiable objects replacing the peace._

_Slowly my mind awoke, gears clicking into place. I started to piece together my surroundings with a languid ease. Icy stone pressed into my back, seeping in under the soft cotton of my shirt. It's ridges poked into the pads of my fingers, rough and uneven. My bare feet were chilled, frozen in place. I could feel the heavy weight of my tangled hair twisting down my back and shoulders, visibly quaking as I shivered. My lips were tingling and numb. No heat exuded from anything within the vicinity. I was lost in a barren wasteland of ice and aching cold._

_Very near to me shadows writhed in the wane lighting. They moved in such a way darkness shouldn't, tendrils reaching and grasping in the air, as if searching for something to latch onto. I tried to look away, anywhere but at them, yet it seemed an impossible feat. I was mesmerized by their haunting dance, drawing nearer and nearer; finding that I could, in fact, move my numb-locked limbs._

_Then the shadows rippled, sending a cascade of inky blackness outwards, curling towards my toes as it crashed like a wave against the shore. A figure stepped away from the darkness, previously enveloped in its protection. I watched with curious, heavy-lidded eyes as they approached with a silent tread._

_At first I didn't recognize them, my mind too hazy and scrambled to piece the features together. As they came closer though, I found the messy black hair and dark eyes very familiar._

_"Fang?" I said in a hushed whisper, barely making a sound at all. Somehow he must have heard, because he came to an abrupt halt a foot or so away from me, impenetrable emotionless mask in mint condition._

_"Max." His tone, too, was void of feeling, and I felt myself shiver at the coldness. Despite this, my heart tugged at the sight of him, an aching yearning to reach out and touch him overriding all my common sense. With trembling fingers I gently pressed them to his cheek, afraid he wasn't real and that my hand would pass right through. But they didn't. The flesh beneath my fingers was solid, and a new warmth spread through my chest._

_"Oh Fang," I murmured, a heartbreaking smile spreading across my lips as his features stayed frosty._

_I waited for him to say something. Tell me that he missed me. Tell me that he loved me. Anything but this silence that slowly drained any previous warmth from my body, leaking like tears._

_"This is all your fault, Max," he said quietly, a surprising hostility creeping into his tone, so much so that the sting had me stepping back with a flinch._

_"What?" I asked haltingly, confused._

_"This is all your fault," he repeated with more earnest, his eyes glinting maliciously._

_"What are you talking about?" I demanded, a note of hysteria entering my voice._

_"You were too selfish," he growled, his eyes a flinty black that cut me to the core. Agonizingly my eyes were drawn to the crimson liquid now painting his arm. I watched with wide, terrified eyes as it spread, encompassing what visible body parts I could see. Deep cuts adorned his face as I blinked, trailing down his jaw and onto his neck._

_"Fang!" I shouted, grimacing as I shook my head forcefully, trying to get rid of the image being presented. In doing so his figure flickered, flashing between the perfect health I had last seen him in, and this new state . . . ravaged and torn to bloody fragments._

_"You could have a least said goodbye," came his strangled response, his expression now hollow, his voice crinkling like static to my unwilling ears. "But I didn't even deserve that much to you."_

_"Fang, stop!" I cried, tears sprouting in my eyes. When would this torture end?_

_"And now I'm going to die . . . and it's all your fault."_

_"No!" I moaned, sinking to my knees, shaking uncontrollably. I was unable to turn away though. I couldn't look anywhere but at him as his blood pooled around me, like a flowing river. _

_Then slowly, bit by bit, he disappeared into oblivion. I gazed on in a dismayed abashment as he winked out of existence, his limbs crumpling into black ash; drifting to rest all around me. I sobbed without a sound, suffocating on my grief as the last sliver of his accusatory stare perished, leaving nothing but the shadows in his wake._

__And it was all my fault_, was the last thought I had before the shadows grasped their chance and pounced on my vulnerable, hunched figure, consuming me completely in mind-numbing bliss once again._

I awoke with a violent jerk, struggling to breath. I gasped in lungfuls of burning air, swallowing what felt like acid. Running a shaking hand through my matted, sweaty hair I collapsed on my pillow, shivering at the cold perspiration now running dry on my skin.

I should have know that they would return, the nightmares that so haunted my sleep when I wasn't curled next to Fang. How was I going to escape them now, with him somewhere too far for me to reach?

A familiar fatigue washed over me, weariness settling in. I knew despite this I wasn't going to sleep again tonight. I was too frightened by what could happen in my unconscious state to allow slumber to take over. It was a chilling enigma, what my dreaming mind produced.

Rolling over with chattering teeth I pulled the covers under my chin, huddling into myself to stay warm. A quick glance at the clock told me we were still in the early hours of morning, a place caught between the darkness of night and the fiery glow of day. A pale light seeped in from the window, luminous and glowing faintly as the sun struggled to make its appearance. My eyes stayed glued to the window as I watched its ascent, not noticing the passing time. With each blink it flew away, creating a different scene. Exactly how my life was now; changing so quickly and without warning.

My attention was diverted by a light tapping on the door. Twisting my head around I waited, watching as the knob rotated carefully. A blonde head of curls poked through cautiously, wide blue eyes meeting mine. Upon seeing that I was awake Angel slipped fully into my room, pushing the door shut softly behind her. She tip-toed carefully to my side. Without speaking I lifted the covers, scooting over far enough so that she had enough room to squeeze onto the bed. She complied without asking, huddling against me without so much as a mere whisper.

I held her tightly, stroking her downy curls as her heavy-lidded eyes blinked shut. No words were needed. I couldn't read minds like she, but I knew with unspoken consent what my flock needed most of the time.

After a moment I found myself humming gently, tone-deaf and completely out of tune. Angel didn't seem to mind. In fact she smiled, her lips curling upwards slowly as the ivory of her teeth came into view.

"Do you miss him already?" she whispered against my shirt, her words muffled by the cloth. I heard her all the same, unable to stop the flash of pain from biting its way into my chest.

Swallowing thickly I replied, "Yes."

"Why didn't you say goodbye then?" she asked after a pause, her voice hushed.

"Because . . . Because I'm stubborn." I admitted in a murmur, biting my lip.

"Don't you love him?"

"Of course I do," I replied, my voice only faltering slightly.

"Then why won't you let him go?"

"He's already gone," I mumbled ashenly, squeezing my eyes shut tightly together to block out . . . what? What was I trying to erase from my memory? Him? Certainly not. The pain? Maybe. The knowing? Definitely.

"No he's not. He's still here. He'll always be here," Angel insisted, poking her finger at my chest, where my heart resided. "Always."

"I know," I said after a pause, taking deep breaths so I wouldn't cry. Angel's logic seemed so simple and flawless, which made everything hurt ten times more than it already did.

"He loves you too, Max. A lot. You don't know how much it killed him seeing you so upset, especially since he knew it was because of him. It _killed _him," Angel said, no way of knowing just how hard her words struck home. Had I not just dreamnt of his death?

"Then he shouldn't have gone," I muttered sullenly, turning my face away so she couldn't see my anguished expression.

"Max, name one time Fang has ever done something without you in mind some way or another."

"I . . ."_ I can't_. Those were the words I knew to be true. I couldn't say it though, and Angel knew it. Because Fang was the least selfish person I knew. He was always my rock in desperate times, something solid to cling to when all else seemed fragile and frail in comparison.

"This is his one thing to do for himself. Don't you think he deserves it?"

Here was my Angel, my little, baby Angel- telling me what no one else could, not even Fang himself. Here she was, pointing out all the obvious things I had been too stubborn to see as if she was reading it straight from a script.

Here she was, telling me everything was going to be okay . . . and here I was, wishing it was enough.

The sunlight slanted through the window, illuminating the dust particles floating lazily in the air. I examined the small square of golden light on the floor, allowing my mind to wander.

"Max, grab that bowl for me." Iggy's voice broke through my mental barrier, and I glanced over in confusion, just looking at him until enough gears shifted into place and I processed his command. Shaking my head I got up from my perch on the chair, traversing easily across the kitchen. I grabbed the bowl he indicated and brought it to him at the stove, where he had about fifty million pans sizzling and boiling.

"I don't know how you do it," I said in a slightly rueful tone. He smiled sadly at me, trying his best to appear enthusiastic. I knew Fang's departure was just as painful for him as it was for the others, though. There were just some things they couldn't hide from me.

"Immeasurable talent, a hot bod, charming looks and a brain," he replied easily, shrugging one shoulder as if it was totally obvious.

"_Right_," I retorted, rolling my eyes.

He had just opened his mouth to speak again when there was a clatter from the front of the house. I immediately went on high alert, eyes narrowed. Not a moment later Nudge came hurtling through the hallway, hollering my name at the top of her lungs. At first she passed the kitchen without sparing one glance inside, but she quickly backtracked, sprinting through the doorway.

"What's wrong?" I exclaimed, grabbing her by the shoulders and forcing her to stop bouncing off the ceiling.

She took a big gulp before saying in a breathless voice; "A letter! From Fang. To you. Open it, open it, open it!" she said in a rush, using the least amount of words I'd ever expect from her.

I stared at the small folder in her hand now, unable to conjure up a response. Instead I stood gaping like a fish, wearing an expression of shock mixed with a stinging sense of sorrow. Slowly, with slightly quivering fingers, I reached out and plucked it from her hand, holding it delicately.

"What are you waiting for?" Nudge yelled, grinning. "Read it! Read it _now_!"

"Uh, Nudge?" Iggy interrupted, giving me a sympathetic look. "Maybe since the letter is addressed to Max, you should let Max handle it."

Nudge's face fell for a moment, before she nodded in understanding. Iggy quickly launched into a conversation with her, and soon after she was back to normal, having completely forgotten about the precious note in my hand. I silently reminded myself to thank Iggy later before exiting as quietly and inconspicuously as I could.

When I was back in the safety and relative comfort of my room I sat on my bed, staring blankly down at the crisp white letter. Everything inside me was itching to tear it open and see what it said. There was another voice though, somewhere deep inside, that reminded me of my anger and betrayal.

Turning my burning eyes away I went to the closet, and finding an empty shoebox, I stuffed the letter inside without a second glance, shoving it back into the dark recesses where I would -hopefully- never have to think about it again.

**Authors Note: Review, review, review, review! I finished up the writing for this story, so I should be able to post every few days. Also, I added another chapter. It'll end at sixteen now (: SO REVIEW!**


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Authors Note: I meant to update earlier, honest. Friday I think. But then I forgot about it, and as it turns out I spent my entire weekend staying at my grandparents, so I didn't have a chance to publish the new chapter until now. Sorry. Oh, and there's a bit of a time jump in this chapter. After you read it you'll get the gist of it.**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Thirteen**

Time passes, even for the unwilling. Not that I was unwilling to get closer to the date of Fang's return. In fact, I was counting down right to the last second. There was a dead coldness inside of me that would only go away once I saw him again. I would give anything for that.

"Another letter came for you," Iggy said from the doorway. I glanced up from where I had been fiddling with my fingers in my lap, startled at the sudden sound of his voice. Lately he had been moving around almost as silently as Fang. The thought sent a dull pang through my already aching chest.

"Thanks," I mumbled as I retrieved it from his outstretched hand, knowing I would never break the seal, just as I never had for the million other letters Fang continued to send. Each one was another painful reminder of what could be, an individual knife in my heart.

"We leaving soon?" Iggy inquired, cocking an eyebrow at me as he gazed in my direction with sightless eyes.

"Yeah. Ten minutes," I responded. "Be sure to tell Nudge."

"Will do," he said with a chuckle, disappearing down the hall. I waited for a few seconds, listening to his light footfalls as he descended the stairs. Then I swung the door shut, leaning my back against it and taking a deep breath. I closed my eyes, just feeling the pressure of the letter in my hand. It was nothing but paper, yet it felt like so much more. It contained words straight from his mind. His hand made the letters that formed the writing. Somewhere, at some time, he had taken the time to write to me.

And I never wrote back.

Shaking my head I reached under my bed, where I had made a new hiding spot for the box now full to the brim with envelopes. I peeled the top off, sliding the new letter in amongst the others. I quickly slammed the cover back on, not wanting to see them any longer.

Glancing at the clock I noted that only a few minutes had passed. That was enough for me though. I was too uneasy, filled with a brewing sense of dread. I need to get out of the house. Fly. Something.

"Let's go everybody!" I hollered as I thundered down the stairs. "Round 'em up and let's hit the sky!"

"You said ten minutes!" Nudge's voice shrieked from somewhere farther in the house. I traced the God-awful sound back to the bathroom she and Angel shared, where she was swimming in a pool of makeup and hair products.

"Well I changed my mind," I said sweetly. "Now let's go."

"But Max, my hair-" Nudge whined, and I could see the gears in her mind furiously working up an argument- one that was sure to leave my ears bleeding.

"Nudge, we're going to dinner at Mom's. It isn't a fashion show. _ Let's go_," I insisted, shooting her a look that dared her to defy me.

She huffed, flipping her wild mane of curls over one shoulder. Grumbling under her breath she slapped it into a ponytail after running a brush through it quickly, looking anything but excited.

"Happy?" she hissed, her eyes wide and her nostrils flaring.

"Very. Now come on," I replied enthusiastically, just to make her more mad.

I left her still simmering in the bathroom, knowing she would follow soon after if she knew what was good for her. I passed Gazzy in the hallway, smiling tenderly at him. He nodded distractedly, his brow furrowed as he raced back up the stairs. I didn't ask. It wasn't worth it.

"Everybody ready?" I inquired, peeking into the living room where Iggy and Angel were seated on the couch. Iggy turned his cloudy blue eyes on me, nodding in response. Angel jumped to her feet immediately, sending me a blinding grin, white teeth flashing.

"Come on, come on, come on!" she exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. I didn't know why she was so excited. It was just dinner at Mom's. We had been going every week since . . . since right before Fang left. I bit my lip to hide my frown, trying in vain to smile back at her.

"Let's get some chow then," Iggy broke the silence, grinning lazily as he passed. He always seemed to know exactly what to say to ease the tension. I don't know what kind of a mess I would be if he wasn't there to smooth down the rough patches. Thank God for Iggy.

"Nudge! Gazzy! We're leaving!" I shouted, stopping at the door. Angel ran out, a cool breeze ruffling her curly blonde hair. She took a running leap, jumping into the air with her wings outstretched. She drifted just above the roof, waiting for us to join her; looking just like an angel.

Soon we all accompanied her in the sky, unconsciously slipping into a loose formation. There was a missing spot though, gaping like an open wound at my side. No one had the heart to try to fill Fang's place. Even flying, which was always so second nature my entire life, seemed odd. Everything that was so normal before was exactly the opposite ever since Fang left . . .

I couldn't go grocery shopping without feeling a heavy weight on my chest, knowing I wouldn't have to pick up any of his favorites. Sometimes I forgot, and I'd peek my head into his room as if he would actually be there, lounging on his bed. Then the pain would come back, intensified, and I'd have to fight the tears.

He made me so weak . . . and I hated it. I used to tell myself that nothing would reduce me to such a state, yet the boy -turned man- I had always thought would be there for me had severely done so. At what point had I changed so drastically? At what point had I stopped being . . . me?

It was with these thoughts that we landed with barely a sound in my mom's back yard, the grass soft and slick with a light rain beneath our feet. I pushed open the back door without knocking, knowing Mom wouldn't care. What was left of the flock trailed in after me, kicking their shoes off and making themselves at home. I lingered in the doorway, taking in the sight of Iggy taking his place at Mom's side, ready to help with any last minute preparations.

A slow smile crept across my face, as I took in the normalcy of it all. Faintly I could hear Angel and Gazzy, forever arguing over control of the television. Nudge and Ella were probably somewhere about, catching each other up on the latest gossip.

I realized then that though we were all far from fine with the current situation, everybody was coping in their own way. Everybody but me.

"So how are things at the house?" Mom asked, intruding on the awkward silence. Previously the air had been filled with nothing but the sound of forks scraping against plates, and cups clinking against the wooden table.

It took me a moment to realize I still hadn't responded, and I blinked with a jolt before saying; "As good as they've ever been."

She nodded thoughtfully before continuing; "And what about Fang? How is he?"

"Fine,":I muttered, swallowing thickly as I glared down at my plate. Placing my fork down I folded my hands in my lap, losing my appetite altogether. That was happening a lot lately. I'm sure it wasn't healthy for a bird-kid like me, but I couldn't force myself to eat.

"He's settled in well in the -what is it?- sixth months he's been there?" she pressed on, seemingly oblivious to my discomfort.

"Yes," I said through gritted teeth, though I didn't particularly know the real answer to either of her questions. I hadn't been in contact with him at all. It was too painful, as selfish as that was.

"Is-" she began, but I cut her off swiftly.

"Can we not talk about it right now?" I demanded, glaring at her through my eyelashes. She got the point, and averted her gaze elsewhere

We continued the dinner in silence, no one having the nerve to break it once again. Even Iggy seemed at a loss for what to say, and Nudge must have hinted in on the fact that it was better for her to keep her big mouth shut for the time being. When we were finished and everyone had disappeared into the living room I stayed to help Mom clear the dishes.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you," I mumbled as I deposited the last dinner dish in the sink, grabbing a dish towel I could dry with as she washed them.. She handed the first plate to me, humming softly under her breath.

"It's okay, Max," she replied. "I know how hard it is for you to talk about him."

"It shouldn't be though. Like you said, it's been sixth months. Almost seven. I should be used to it by now."

"I don't think it's possible to ever get _used _to it. You just have a slower rate of acceptance than most people," she assured me, smiling warmly. The yellow lighting made her brown eyes sparkle.

"Yeah, maybe you're right." I wasn't quite sure if I believed it, but it sounded good enough.

We lapsed into silence, working quietly and steadily. When everything was stacked neat and dry Mom wiped her sudsy hands and we put everything back in its place. I closed the door of a cupboard, the resulting bang having a note of finality in it.

"Um, Max? Dr. Martinez?" Gazzy asked in a small voice from the doorway. He was standing awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot with a piece of notebook paper in his hand.

"What's up, bud?" I inquired, sitting down at the table. I patted the chair beside me and he slowly approached, lowering himself cautiously. Mom leaned on the counter, sipping at her drink.

"I have something I want to show you guys," he said nervously, running an anxious hand through his spiky hair.

I indicated for him to continue, and I saw him gulp. What could this possibly be about?

"Well . . . in that thing me and Angel went to last week we had to write a paper about someone we missed . . . and the instructor said I had to show it to you," he explained, offering the paper to me. I stared down at it for a moment before pushing it gently back towards him. He flashed me a look of confusion.

"You read it to us," I said softly.

"Oh . . . okay," he mumbled before clearing his throat. "_The person I miss the most in the whole world is Fang. He's like my dad, even though he's still a teenager himself. Him and Max practically raised me and my sister. That's why I love them so much. But awhile ago Fang told us all he was joining the army. At first I didn't know what to say. I thought it was really cool that he was going to be a soldier. Max didn't like it though. She was really upset, so she was mean to Fang. They yelled at each other a lot. I remember wishing they wouldn't fight, because Fang was leaving soon, and we wouldn't be able to see him for a really long time._

_"He's been gone for sixth months now. I miss him a lot. I miss him being there to sneak me cookies when Max isn't looking, or when he warns me and Iggy that Max is coming so we can hide the stuff we were about to blow up. He's really awesome like that. I miss him being there when I have bad nightmares, and he takes me outside and we fly around until I feel better. I miss him knowing exactly what's wrong without having to say anything. I miss him not talking, because even though the silence is the same now, I at least knew he was there for me._

_"I think I want to be just like Fang when I grow up. I want to be strong and smart like he is. I want to be able to take care of my family like he does. I want to be able to look at someone like he looks at Max. Most of all though, I want Fang to come back home."_

I pressed my hand to my mouth, smothering the sob I could feel building in my throat. Silent tears trickled down my face, no matter how hard I tried to stop them, burning like individual drops of acid.

"Oh Gazzy," I murmured when he finished, pulling him into a hug. The paper dropped to the floor, fluttering to the ground beneath us. His arms wrapped around my waist tightly as he buried his face in the crook of my neck with a shuddering sigh.

We just sat there, locked in an impenetrable embrace. Mom stayed extremely quiet wherever she now was in the room, for which I was grateful for. For once, someone in my flock needed me. Truly needed me. I wasn't about to turn them away.

It wasn't too late when we got back home. The sun was still hovering over the horizon, allowing a few more tantalizing rays to wash over the world. It took me a moment to register the car parked in front of the house though, as we neared.

"Who in the world could that possibly be?" I wondered aloud, squinting to see as we gravitated towards the earth.

"Should we-?" Iggy started, raising an eyebrow.

"Land in the back and then come through the house. I'll see what this is about," I replied, knowing what he was getting at without him actually saying it. He gave me an affirmative nod, ushering the others in a wide loop higher into the sky.

I hit the ground easily, my feet crunching in the gravel. As soon as I did so the SUV"s driver door flung open, and a starched pant leg appeared. I waited with my hands on my hips, highly alert for any danger.

"Are you Ms. Maximum Ride?" the man asked, his voice deep and grating.

"That would be me," I stated. "Who's asking?"

He didn't offer a reply, simply stuffed an envelope in my hand and turned on his heel. I saw the briefest flash of sympathy in his eyes before he was gone, the tires of his car spewing rocks as he rocketed off into the trees,

Well that was odd.

Shaking my head I glanced down at the object in my hand. With careful ease I peeled back the flap, pulling out the paper inside. I read through the contents of the letter, my hands quivering when I finished.

"What is it?"

I jumped at the sound of Nudge's inquiring voice, my eyes meeting her expectant gaze.

"It says . . . " I cleared my throat, trying again. "It says that Fang's gone. Not MIA. A prisoner of war."

**Authors Note: How about that for a twist? Yeah. You have to have something to say about that. Like in a review, you know? This chapter also kind of closes the bridge between the chapters I took out. I had a bunch of useless, boring stuff planned that nobody really wants to read. It might come off as rushed now, but that's just because I didn't explain, in-depth, things that happened while he was away.**

**So review! (:**


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Authors Note: Needless to say my stepdad broke the monitor to my desktop . . . which happens to be the computer I do all my writing on instead of my laptop, since it just recently got fixed and it's easier to just keep everything on here. Thankfully we had one more randomly laying around in the basement. If this one breaks . . . Ahhh. I'm so screwed. I need to get a flash drive or something soon. Anyway, let's pray it doesn't break.**

**Also, HOLY CRAP! Best response yet. Last chapter seemed to spur a heck of a lot of reviews out of you guys. About two times as many as usual. I'm making sure not to get my hopes up though. I doubt it will last :(**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Fourteen**

In one unanimous intake of breath the flock gasped, their eyes going wide. I felt much the same way, but on an entirely different level. Fang had been captured by the enemy?

My shaking hands could no longer hold the message, and it fluttered to the ground like a feather. My whole body was quivering unnaturally, as my mind worked furiously to process the situation.

I refused to believe it Any of it. This was all just a bad dream . . . and I would wake up momentarily to find everything back to normal. Fang would be in his room across from mine, sleeping soundly. All would be well. None of this stupid army stuff would exist. I would never have actually felt the amount of pain I was feeling now; the uncertainty of his well-being consuming all other rational thoughts.

But time was ticking by, and I was still living this nightmare. Maybe reality really was this horrible.

Fang was missing. He could be dead or otherwise seriously injured, and we had no way of knowing. For the first time the idea that I would never see him again entered my mind.

The letter carrying such dire news crumpled under my shoe as I stomped on it, sprinting past the others and into the house. I ran blindly, unshed tears brimming in my eyes. Once my foot hit the stairs there was no slowing down. I stumbled up as fast as I could, clutching the railing for support as I heaved my unresponsive body upwards. I slammed into my bedroom door hard, ignoring the flash of pain in my shoulder. With scrambling, numb fingers I fumbled with the door knob, finally managing to pry it open.

I practically fell to the floor, throwing myself across the room. Vaguely I could hear the sound of the flock entering the house, wondering where I had gone. I found I didn't care though. Not at the moment. All that mattered was Fang.

With shaky limbs I crawled the rest of the way across the room, lowering my head to peer under the bed. I reached under and patted the ground until my hand came in contact with the familiar object. With trembling fingers I pulled it out, placing the box in my lap. Wrenching the top off I rifled through until I found the first one. The first letter Fang had written me.

_Dear Max,_

_You didn't come. I can't say I blame you. You may not think so, but I understand what you're feeling. No matter how much you don't want to believe it, I know. Because I'm feeling it too._

_The hardest part though, wasn't necessarily realizing you weren't coming, but knowing that the last time I saw you was your face as you slammed the door on me. Or your last words, that were filled with so much pain it killed me inside. _

_It's all I can see or hear when I close my eyes. That's what I have to remember you by. It's everything I know. God Max, you sure now how to break a guys heart._

_I probably deserve it though. I never meant to cause you so much hurt. That was never my plan, you have to believe that. I just . . . There's only so much that little town can offer. I know what I said before, when we were kids running for our lives. I know how hard I tried to convince you to settle down. Your superhero syndrome caught though. I can't be the way you want me to be._

_Ironic how years ago I would have imagined our situations totally reversed . . . _

_I need this, Max. I need to feel like I'm doing something with my life. You saved the world. Maybe if it had been me in your place, I would be content too. But I'm not you. I still have plenty of years ahead of me, and I want to find something that appeases this part inside of me that's too restless to settle down just yet._

_I wish you were here. I need your strength to drive me to do what needs to be done. I need you by my side to be me. We don't get everything we want though, no matter what._

_There's one thing out of all of this I regret the most though. The one thing I never got to say, that I sincerely wish I had a long time ago. I was planning on telling you when I left, but seeing as you were a no show, that plan didn't work out too well, but . . ._

_I love you, Max. So much it hurts sometimes. I feel like I can't bear another second being away from you. Not seeing your beautiful smile, or hearing your obnoxious laugh. Listen to me. I'm turning into mush, and it's all for you._

_Love, _

_Fang_

I wept openly now, feeling like a complete fool. A few years ago I would have laughed in your face if you would have told me how weak I was to become. It would have seemed inconceivable to me. Yet here I was, sobbing on the floor like I was dying.

But Fang . . . oh Fang. I had screwed up so bad. I was too selfish. He was the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I had thrown it all away because of my stupid pride. Now there was a good chance I would never be able to tell him just how much he meant to me . . . He could die thinking I hated him.

Rubbing at my eyes I rifled around for the next letter, opening it carefully.

_Dear Max,_

_You're too stubborn for your own good. You know that right? Because I do, which is why it was easier to handle your ignorance towards me. There was a part of me that just knew you weren't going to respond. It still hurt, but since I told myself I wasn't going to try to guilt you into writing to me, I'll stop now. _

_Even though there's a good chance you don't care, I want you to know that I'm doing okay. I've settled in pretty well within the first few weeks._

_Training is horrifically simple, even after how out of shape I was. I guess there are some things you never forget, instincts that can only be buried just beneath the surface. I think I blew everyone's mind upon first coming, the way I slipped so easily into things._

_The people aren't too bad either. Some of them need a good slap to the head and a blow to their ego, but most of them are alright. I've made a few friends. Everyone is surprisingly accepting to the wings thing. We're all here for the same purpose after all. They don't treat me any differently and . . . I like it. I like feeling like I belong, with people I didn't grow up in a dog crate with._

_My home will always be with the flock though, no matter what happens. _

_I miss you. A lot. Please try to understand why I came here, and know that I want you to be near. I want to be able to be there for you through this all . . . but I can't. I'm gone, and that's the lousy truth. _

_I love you,_

_Fang _

He had always been so understanding, trying to help me cope with this in the best way that he could . . . and I resisted him every step of the way. I refused to accept his reasonings and explanations. All for what? So that he would feel bad when he left? So that he knew how hurt I was? He would have known all that inevitably.

I tore through the letters now, not caring if they ripped. I threw the remains of the envelopes all around me, falling like ash to the ground. I read, words swimming before my vision, as he related how he was.

And always that he missed me, and how much he loved me.

Then came the letter that I wished I never had to read. The letter that contained information that would upset his relative safety thus far.

_Dear Max,_

_Did I ever tell you how well you'd fit in with the girls here? I think you'd love them. Some are so obviously in it for the glory and benefits you'd be able to weasel them out in a minute, but others are as true as you. They're here for a reason. You'd get along with them well. They're a lot like you, just on a smaller scale._

_Then again, no one can be quite like Maximum Ride._

_Training is done and over with, thankfully. Now I can actually get out there and do something. Maybe this isn't good news to you, but if you had reached the level of boredom I have on a day to day basis, you'd want to get out as soon as you could, too._

_It might be hard leaving behind some of the friends I've made, who still have a ways to go . . . but I'm used to running. I'm used to having something one day and not the next. I'm still debating whether or not that's a good quality._

_I hope you and the others are doing well, and that you're happy. That's the only thing I want Max. You to be happy. Try for me. Please. At least try. _

_I love you,_

_Fang_

_Dear Max,_

_I wonder if the sky looks just as blue as it does to you, here. Sometimes I miss you so much I think I can't handle it anymore. I fantasize about just flying away as fast as I can back to you. I want that so bad . . . but I can't. You know it and I know it. That doesn't make it any less harder, but I'm trying my best to cope with it. I hope you are, too._

_I'm safe as ever. No injuries, no surprise attacks. I'm actually probably in better health now than I was before. They're saving me for something. I don't know what just yet, but I know they are. They don't send me out on patrols or anything like that with the others. I don't go anywhere. I just sit around and try not to get frustrated._

_I wish they'd let me do something. I feel so useless. Why do I have to be here if they don't need me, yet? I want to see you. Just once. But I think that would be even harder. I don't know if I'd be able to come back._

_I love you,_

_Fang_

I tugged at my hair, my sleeve- anything. Why couldn't he be content with what he had? If he had been . . . maybe he would be safe right now. Maybe he wouldn't be God knows where, most likely bleeding.

I pressed my hand to my mouth to muffle the sobs, rocking back and forth in the mess I had made on the floor. There was only one left. The letter I had received earlier today. Out of all the others, this was it.

_Dear Max,_

_They told me today. They took me into a little conference room and they told me. I have a 'secret mission'. God Max, you don't know how hard I had to fight a smile. Finally! Something to do._

_I can't exactly tell you anything else. It's a lone operation, one specifically designed for our . . . type. That's all I can say._

_Now more than ever I wish you were here, so that I could go in there with you at my side. Maybe that would make it easier. But in hindsight, I feel much better knowing you're safe at home, out of harms way. Stay that way. Please._

_It's weird, preparing to go into battle, albeit a completely different one than I'm accustomed to, without you there to tell me what to do. At first I found I was a little lost, not hearing you barking orders at everybody. I'm fine now, though. I've gotten used to how things work._

_I still miss you as much as I did the first day, and I still plan on making it up to you some day. I'll come back to you, love. And when I do, I hope you'll be a bit more accepting (although I'm probably going to receive quite a few punches, but give me points for wishful thinking)._

_I love you,_

_Fang_

"Oh my God, Max!" Nudge shrieked from the doorway, where everybody was now standing. I looked up at them, suddenly weary as I slumped against my bed. My tears had long since run dry.

"You never read them?" she demanded in anguish, dropping to her knees in front of me. I shook my head, sniffling slightly as I rubbed my itching eyes. She frowned, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug . . . and I let her. It was high time I stopped acting like they hadn't grown up. That sometimes I was the one who needed the comforting.

Slowly the others followed, Angel dropping to my side. She nuzzled her head into the crook of my neck, laying her blonde curls there. Gazzy huddled on my other side, wrapping his skinny arms around my waist. Eventually Iggy crouched down as well, smoothing down my hair with his lithe fingers as he held me gently.

And the one person I really needed wasn't there.

With a new found determination I shakily came to my feet, ignoring the bewildered looks from my flock. Squaring my shoulders I found a backpack amongst the rubble in my closet, stuffing in a few changes of clothes.

"What are you doing?" Iggy asked, stopping me at the door. I shook his hand off, looking him in the eyes that couldn't see.

"What do you think? I'm going to go over there and rescue his stupid ass."

"Then wait until we get our stuff ready, and we'll go," he replied, crossing his arms across his chest like he anticipated a fight. He knew me too well.

"No. No, no, no. You guys? Are staying here. Alright? End of discussion," I stated, pushing past him. I ran to the kitchen, ignoring their sounds of indignant reproach.

"You can't go without us!" Gazzy exclaimed, skidding to a halt beside me.

"Yes, I can," I growled, grabbing as much food as I could possibly carry without getting too weighed down. "And I will."

"Max, you need us!" Angel cried, gazing at me pleadingly. Her lower lip jutted out and her eyes widened adorably. Too bad for her. I was far past the point of caving to Bambi eyes. Besides, she was getting a little too old for that.

"Look guys," I said with a sigh, straightening up to face them all. "I'm sorry. I wish I could take you with me, but you _have _to stay here. They're not going to let a bunch of kids run around so much heavy artillery. They're just not."

"Since when have rules ever stopped you?" Nudge demanded, looking panicked. Enough so that she didn't babble incessantly.

"_Listen_!" I shouted, my voice swelling. They all blinked in surprise, not anticipating the force with which I spoke. "Fang is missing. Do you get that? He could be hurt, or worse- he could be dead. The seconds I waste standing here talking to you could be the difference. I'm not going to chance that, and I certainly don't have time to explain to a bunch of hot-shot military persons why it's okay for you to be there. I'm going, you're not."

"I'm the same age as you! At least let me come," Iggy insisted, stepping away from the others. I bit back a hiss, trying to take a deep breath to calm myself.

"You need to stay and watch the others," I said through gritted teeth, turning to the door.

"They can stay with Dr. Martinez while we're gone!"

"Iggy, you're just going to slow me down," I said softly before turning to the door resolutely. Without waiting to hear any other complaints I exited the house, taking a running leap into the sky. I was barely stable in the air when I kicked into super speed and rocketed off towards the horizon.

And to Fang.

**Authors Note: If any of you can spot the NeverShoutNever reference in there, I'll love you forever. If you're sitting there going: 'NeverShoutNever?' with a confused look on your face . . . you deserve to die in a hole. KIDDING, kidding . . . Maybe -_-**

**Anyway, review, review, review! Please?**


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Author Note: I'm not satisfied with this chapter at all. I don't know. It's just not very good. And sorry for the shortness, but considering I split what was supposed to be this chapter up so there's another chapter after this, they're both of less length than usual.**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Fifteen**

_"Max," a slow, familiar voice whispered from somewhere in the dark depths of which I was trapped in. I floundered in the chilling enclosure, trying to see past the pervading darkness. It felt like I was swimming, my limbs floating with no solid ground beneath my feet._

_"_Max_," the voice continued, swelling in volume. I moved my head wildly, but to no avail. I couldn't even tell if my eyes were open or not, such was the enormity of the darkness._

_"_Max_!" _

_The tone clicked in some part of my mind, and I was able to match a face with the call. I felt my features meld into something akin to shock, my mouth shaped to scream even as my throat blocked any noise. Inside my head I was yelling, _'Fang!'

_"Max, help!" He was panicking now, a strange show of emotion for him. I knew then that he was in serious trouble. I tried furiously to make some sort of noise._

'Fang, where are you?'

_"MAX!"_

"Maximum? Er . . . Max?"

I gasped, my head jerking to the side painfully. I blinked in the sudden burning light, my pupils searing as I massaged my neck. Straightening quickly I glanced over, rubbing my eyes. A man and a woman were standing by the door, looking stoic.

"Perhaps we should let you rest more before we speak," the woman suggested, taking in my position. I must have fallen asleep after they showed me into the room, saying somebody would be with me shortly. You try flying for almost two days, with no rest in between. It kind of wears you out.

"No," I said quickly. "I'm fine."

They nodded, taking the chairs across from me. Self consciously I discretely wiped at the corner of my mouth. The last thing I needed was to be drooling in front of the two people I needed most at this point.

The man cleared his throat, glancing at a piece of paper in his hand. When he looked back up at me his eyes seemed tighter around the edges. "I assume you're here about what happened to . . . um, Fang?"

I nodded shortly, folding my hands in my lap.

"As much as we appreciate you coming here, I'm afraid there's not much you can do," the woman said, trying for a smile. She should give that up. _Immediately_.

"Not much I can do?" I asked incredulously, deciding the sweet and polite approach wasn't working. "Fang's whole mission thing or whatever was designed for people like us. Who else is going to rescue him but someone who's just as capable?"

"We appreciate your assistance as well, but we have this under control," the man replied, his gray eyes flat and his expression grim.

"Under control?" I demanded, my jaw dropping. "Under . . . control? Sir, I don't mean to be rude, but if you had things under control, then Fang wouldn't still be missing. So pardon me, but I have a family member of mine to get back, with or without your help."

I shoved my chair back, the metal squealing against the floor. I jumped to my feet, giving them one of my death glares.

"Wait!" the woman shouted, coming to a stand as well. "You can't just go out there. It's too dangerous."

I scoffed, almost laughing. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm _Maximum Ride_. Nothing is too dangerous. Now if you'll excuse me, I really should be on my way. God knows what they're doing to him right this second."

Behind me I could hear the two generals arguing as they followed. I shook my head slightly, rolling my eyes as I made my way down the drab hall. They really should redecorate. This place was much too grim.

"Maximum, wait!"

"Yes?" I inquired, turning and giving them an angelic smile.

"Perhaps we can work something out," the man conceded, albeit reluctantly. I had to fight the urge to wipe the victorious grin off my face, settling for a small, knowing smirk. "We know where they're holding Fang, so we could probably . . . use your assistance."

"I thought you might see it my way. Now here's the plan-" I began, when a commotion at the door cut me off.

"Max!" an all too familiar voice shouted, approaching quickly. My eyes widened in surprise as I took in Iggy running towards me, his strawberry blonde hair mussed and sticking up at odd angles.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, putting my hands on my hips angrily. "Scratch that, _how _did you get here?"

"I took a plane. Got me here a lot quicker than flying would have, even with super speed," he admitted, smiling sheepishly like that would make me forgive him. Yeah, right.

"You brought the others here, too?" I ground out, trying to stay calm.

"No. I came by myself," he explained, scratching his head.

"You got here . . . all by yourself?" My tone softened.

"Yeah. Because I know you're going to need my expertise," he insisted. "And besides. I'm already here. You might as well take all the help you can get, am I right?"

I sighed in exasperation, mentally agreeing. Not that I was actually going to say that out loud. Instead I turned back to the mollified generals. "As I was saying, here's the plan. You take your army people or whatever and pretend to be making negotiations. While that's going on I'll do what I do best: sneak in, kick butt and come back with what I wanted. AKA, Fang. Then, when we're a safe distance away, Iggy can blow that place to smithereens. Got it?"

"Affirmative," the woman replied, her lip twitching in an almost smile of respect.

In the end I couldn't convince them to let me go alone, which was why I was now sliding stealthily down a side hallway with two armed soldiers following quietly behind me. I didn't take the time to learn names, which I probably should have. I was too busy for that.

Stopping I put a finger to my lips, motioning towards an empty room. Keeping a keen eye out for intruders I slipped inside, crouching beneath the window as my companions followed my example.

"This is getting us nowhere," I murmured under my breath, just loud enough for them to hear. They nodded grimly in agreement. I tapped my chin as I thought, gazing up towards the ceiling.

The building was huge, and we had no way of knowing how far it went underground. Peeking into rooms as we went really wasn't working out for us. We still weren't any closer to finding Fang.

"Maybe we should keep going down. That's where they'd keep him. No windows," a man probably only a few years older than me suggested.

"Yeah, that's what I thought at first too . . . but if he's still alive and they've kept him this long, they've got to be pretty smart. Smart enough to know that's the obvious place we'd look," I explained, still pondering.

We lapsed into silence again, as I continued to glare upwards. Slowly I let my gaze travel as I thought, examining every inch of the room. When my eyes alighted on the vent in the corner, a sudden idea occurred to me. Grinning I faced the soldiers.

"You guys up for some crawling?"

. . . Suffice to say, ventilation systems weren't really meant for grown men. We made due though, creeping along the tunnels slowly but surely. It was much faster, considering we didn't have to stop and hide whenever somebody passed. It was also useful for eavesdropping on conversations, ones which hold extremely relevant information.

"Take this to the captive," a muffled voice ordered. I ceased to breath as I pressed my eye to the vent, peering down into the musty room. Two men were present, facing each other. One was holding out a tray of unappetizing food. If they were taking food to him, no matter how inedible, that meant he was still alive!

"Is he still being held on the top floor?"

"Yes. The last room."

I couldn't help but grin then, a wide smile sweeping across my features for the first time since Fang left. We knew he was alive, and we now knew his location. I couldn't believe my luck as I continued on, navigating the vents like I was fourteen and creeping through the School again.

When we came across a deserted staircase we dropped to the ground, quietly making our way up. When we made it to the top I pressed my ear to the door, listening for any sounds on the other side. There were none, so I cautiously poked my head through. We were at the end of a barren hallway, doors littering each side.

My gaze swept every inch of space, checking for hidden traps or motion sensors. When I detected nothing unusual and the others agreed, we slowly glided down the hall.

I paused at the door, wondering why there wasn't a key-code or _something _to make it difficult to enter. This was almost too easy, making me instantly suspicious. Standing and wondering weren't going to give me any answers though, so I forged ahead. Getting a nod from my companions I twisted the knob, gently pushing the door open.

At first I saw nothing as my eyes became accustomed to the pitch blackness. Then as the light from the hallway filtered in I caught sight of the huddled form in the corner.

"Fang!" I breathed, taking a step towards him. My long dormant heart stuttered and ached at the sight of him. He stirred, blinking in the sudden illumination.

"Max?" his voice reached my ears, rasping with disuse.

Without warning the air was filled with even more shouting, wild and ear-splitting. Lights flashed and popped, making me disoriented. I staggered, falling to my knees. Fang's eyes widened in panic as he reached for me through his bindings. A blinding pain glanced off my temple and the world spun in a kaleidoscope of unnatural colors.

The last thing I saw was Fang's horrified gaze before I slipped under a wave of darkness.

**Authors Note: Once again, there's one more chapter after this. I should have it up some time soon. Probably this weekend, at least. I know the whole rescue mission might have seemed kind of rushed, but really, it's not like I had much to drag it out on. **

**Review? You're running out of chances.**


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Authors Note: Last chapter, last chapter, last chapter! Another story finished. Wow. It's been a . . . bumpy ride, shall we say? Anyway, I wish the chapter was longer, but I really don't have much to write about. I hope it meets everybody's standards though, and I also hope you enjoyed the story! (:**

_**Love and War**_

**Chapter Sixteen**

Muffled sounds reached my ears, like cotton was taking up all the space. My eyes felt glued together, gritty and unused. Every limb of my body was sore and aching, my fingers twitching as I fought to become conscious.

"She's waking up!" someone cried, their voice low and grating. All other noise ceased, being replaced with a faint rustling as I presumed everyone gathered around me.

Slowly and with extreme effort I pried my eyelids open, blinking groggily. A groan escaped between my unwilling lips as I shifted painfully. The light from the overhead bulb was piercing my retinas uncomfortably.

"Stay still Max." I recognized my mother's voice immediately, filled with warmth and concern. A gentle hand pressed against my shoulder, holding me down when I tried to sit up.

"Ugh," I moaned, hiding my face in my pillow. Right before that I glimpsed the white-washed walls and polished floor tiles. The antiseptic smell infiltrated all of my senses overwhelmingly, making me shudder.

"Will one of you go get a nurse?" Mom asked, and a voice similar to Nudge's agreed quietly. I heard the click of a door as it opened and closed, and then the silence pressed in on me again.

"Where am I?" I wondered aloud, though I figured since the flock and Mom were present -and not stuck in cages- it couldn't be that bad.

"You're in a hospital, honey," Mom replied, stroking my hair comfortingly. I squinted up at her, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the brightness of the room. She smiled sadly down at me, though there was a relief present in her eyes that took over all the rest.

"Why?" I demanded, my mind still fuzzy.

I glanced around as she thought of a response. Gazzy and Angel were seated by the windows, curls matted and messy like they had just slept on them. Their clothes were equally wrinkled, as if puckered in slumber. They seemed relieved to see me awake though.

Iggy was leaning on the wall, head slumped. His face looked haggard and worn out, his arm in a sling. He was wearing clean clothes, although his chin was slightly smudged with dirt.

I don't know what triggered it then, the sudden recollection of memory. In a rush it all came back, the remembrance of why I was stuck in this hospital bed and why Iggy was so bent out of shape.

"Where's Fang?" I exclaimed, looking wildly between my mother and Iggy, seeing as they'd be the most likely to know.

"Shh, Max," Mom murmured. "Calm down."

"Calm down? I'm not going to calm down! Where is he? Is he okay?" I demanded, my mind automatically flicking to the worst case scenario. Oh God . . . Fang.

"Honey, Fang's fine. Max, _listen to me_," Mom said soothingly. "Fang is fine, I promise."

"Then where is he?" I needed to see him for myself to make any judgements.

"Well . . ." Mom said slowly. "He's still back at the military medical center. You weren't seriously injured, just a little banged up. They sent you back to the hospital here at home."

I took a moment to let this all sink in. Mom wouldn't lie to me, not even in this state. Fang must be okay. Besides, there was a part inside of me whispering that I would know if Fang was dead. I'd just _know_.

"Guys, maybe we should let Max get some more rest. Let's go home and get you all cleaned up, and then we can come back and see how she's doing," Mom said softly to the others, coming to her feet.

Angel and Gazzy looked like they were going to protest, but thought better of it and agreed reluctantly. Angel came over to my bedside and kissed my cheek lightly. I patted her head, giving her a tender smile. Even Gazzy let me ruffle his hair as he hugged me gently, afraid that I might get hurt. I laughed at this, and he put more pressure in his embrace.

Mom gave me one last wave before she ushered the others out, single file. Iggy pushed off the wall to follow, giving me a nod and a small smile.

"Iggy, wait!" I called at the last minute. He halted just at the threshold, craning his head back in to see me.

"Need something?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Can you wait for a little while longer. I need to talk to you," I replied, motioning for him to come closer. He complied easily, dragging a chair to my side. He sat down in it with a heavy sigh, the bags under his eyes becoming more prominent. I gazed at him expectantly, and after a moment he seemed to catch my trail of thought.

"It was kind of crazy there at the end," he started.

"I don't remember much," I admitted. "The last thing I can think of is seeing a bunch of flashing lights. Then something hit my head and I was out."

"From what the others told me, somebody came into the room right after you guys. They called for immediate backup. Shots were fired, which was probably what you saw. The two soldiers with you did a good job of holding them off. Something falling from the ceiling must have hit you, though," he explained.

"Then what?" I pressed.

"I wasn't very far from there, just waiting for your signal. When my radio picked up the S.O.S they were sending I contacted the others stationed around the perimeter and we stormed the place. Turns out the number present was vastly exaggerated. We took them out in no time."

"So that's it?" I asked incredulously.

"Pretty much. We got everybody out of the building and blew it to rubble as planned. Nothing much more to it," Iggy replied nonchalantly, shrugging. I'm sure it was a bit more exciting than that. He was probably just holding off on me.

"What about Fang? Is he really okay?"

"Fang's fine, just like your mom said. They wanted to keep him there though. That's all. He blacked out just like you did. I didn't get to talk to him either before they shipped us back here."

I nodded, mulling this over in my mind.

"So what happens next?" I asked after a moment.

"Well, from what I've heard they want to monitor Fang for a few more weeks just to make sure he's perfectly healthy. Then they're going to send it back home with the next wave of soldiers."

"He's coming home?" I inquired, shocked.

Iggy nodded, cracking a real smile. I grinned along with him, knowing for the first time that everything might just be okay after all.

**Third Person POV**

Fang waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. He also watched.

He watched the other military men and women he had been on the plane with walk into the airport. He watched them as they were met with squeals and screams of adoration. He watched as tears poured freely down peoples faces. He watched as they were rushed with open arms.

Wives, husbands, parents, children, nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins, friends. Every type of person imaginable was there for one person or another.

Except for him.

He wouldn't let go of his hope though. He just stood off to the side with his meager belongings at his side . . . waiting. He tried to look as stoic and unemotional as possible. Nobody but himself needed to know what he was feeling inside.

Slowly though, the crowd was dispersing. The amount of uniforms were depleting as soldiers were ushered away by their loved ones, back to the comfort of their homes.

Those who remained approached with sad, pitying smiles. They shook his hand and congratulated him on still being alive; told him he was the luckiest guy they knew. He didn't feel lucky though.

And still he waited.

With a soft sigh he finally gave up, bending to pick up his bags. Just as he straightened to take a step there was a commotion by the doors. Shouts of surprise resounded through the room as people were jostled and pushed to the side. Soon they got smart and parted to let the person pass.

Fang watched as an angel stumbled from the crowd.

God, I was late. I was so, so, _so _late. After staying up all night too anxious for sleep I had actually fallen to unconsciousness, right when I didn't need it. Now, thanks to that, I was incredibly late.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to smooth it down to a point where it was presentable. Taking one more deep breath I slammed my palms against the cool glass of the airport doors, shoving my way inside.

I fought the throngs of people as they rushed all around me. My steps increasingly picked up pace to the point where I was running, crashing into people everywhere I turned. I didn't stop to apologize, I just forged on ahead. A sudden insatiable need to see him panged through my entire being.

Eventually people began to anticipate me, stepping out of my way hurriedly. They wanted to avoid the wrecking ball swinging at them. I didn't care. Whatever got me there faster.

Finally, I pushed my way to the front, skidding to a halt at the edge of the crowd. I glanced wildly about until my gaze locked with his, his obsidian eyes penetrating right to my soul . . . just like always.

Then I was running, sprinting faster than I ever have before; right into his arms. I threw myself at him, my arms locking into place around his neck as his wound around my waist. I crushed my body against his, burying my face in his neck. I was out of breath and close to tears, yet somehow I managed to find the ability to speak.

"I love you, Fang," I sobbed. "I'm so sorry. I love you." I kept repeating it over and over again as he stroked my hair soothingly, rubbing circles in the space between my wings, just as I liked.

"I love you too, Max," he murmured, lifting my chin so that our eyes met. His hair was falling into his eyes, much shorter than it was before, but not a buzz cut like soldiers usually have.

"Your hair," I mumbled, slipping a strand between my fingers.

"Still recognize me?" he murmured, inclining his head towards mine.

"Always," I promised, closing the rest of the distance between us. Our lips met, softly but with more pressure as time commenced. As we kissed my ears slowly registered the applause. People were . . . clapping. Actually clapping at our reunion.

I pulled back for a moment to laugh, shaking my head as I looked around at the people watching. Some even had tears in their eyes. When I glanced back at Fang I saw the breathtaking smile he was wearing, and almost gasped in surprise. Instead I pulled his head back to mine, kissing him like I would never get the chance to again.

And I think it stands to reason that: love and war can blind us. It can tear us apart and put us through hell or high water. No doubt we're going to cry, and scream, and put up a fuss. In the end though, it's only the truest of true love that can overcome that war, and unite the separated once more . . .

**The End**

**Authors Note: Ending sound familiar? Yeah, that's because it's from chapter eleven. Remember when Dina said it to Max? That's what I got it from. Nifty plan, huh?**

**Anyway, I can't say I'm sad to see the story end. It gave me enough trouble. I'm glad that I was able to finish it though. You guys deserve that much, you really do.**

**Which brings me to: a big, big, BIG thank you to those who reviewed. You talked me into finishing the story even though it was giving me a tough time with your wonderful words of encouragement. I'm not lying when I say I couldn't have done it without you. Also thanks to those who alerted and/or favorited the story. You rock, too! (This also includes author alerts and/or favorites. I appreciate those as well.)**

**Special acknowledgement to: Lacking Stealth. What can I say that sums up how much I appreciate your feedback? I don't think it's possible, actually. Your reviews really helped motivate me. They were all length-y and positive and they actually explained what you liked about the story. That's so much better than just going: I love it! Update! (Although that's certainly preferable to nothing.) So thank you, thank you, thank you. I can't say it enough.**

**I'm sure there were a few others that made an impact as well, and I'm sorry I don't have the time to list everybody out. Just know I love you, in a completely acceptable way. **

**I also want to say, and there's a pretty good chance someone said it before, because it sounds kind of familiar, that I myself have come to recognize that regardless of anything, this story is a success. It may not have strength in numbers like The Hostile Encounters did, but reading through some of your reviews again I realized: it made you feel. More than one person commented on the emotion, and how things made you cry. I'm proud of that, as odd as it sounds. I'm glad something I wrote produced such a strong reaction in a person. **

**That's what makes this story, despite its rushed-ness at points and quick ending, a complete success in my eyes. I hope it is in yours, too.**

**Thanks again! (:**


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